RVA Shows You Must See This Week: March 4 – March 10
FEATURED SHOW
Saturday, March 7, 6:30 PM
Lose Sight, Steamroll, Wasted Life, Companion of Fools @ Lakeside Moose Lodge – $10
Some interesting developments have taken place in the world of hardcore during the 2020s. This decade has seen the rise of high-visibility hardcore bands like Turnstile and Knocked Loose to levels no band has previously reached in the entire history of the genre. Meanwhile, at the end of the previous decade, a Have Heart reunion show drew 10,000 people. It’s hard to have a problem with a genre you grew up loving reaching popularity previously undreamed of, but I’m sure I’m far from the only one who feels like something is lost when hardcore shows aren’t street-level anymore. The sense of community, of a shared goal and a shared interest that most others don’t understand, starts getting lost. Good things come in its place, but it’s hard not to see that some other good things are going by the wayside.
This might explain why I’m seeing a growing movement within certain segments of the hardcore scene to take everything even farther underground — to limit web presences, avoid typical venues, and circle the wagons just a bit. The latest sign of the way this is affecting our local hardcore scene is the release celebration for the new Lose Sight EP, entitled Richmond Straight Edge and coming out on Fortress Records. The record release show isn’t taking place at any venue I’ve ever been to; instead, it’s happening at a Moose Lodge. When I started going to shows in the 90s, places like Moose Lodges, American Legion Halls, and VFWs were often the only venues willing to open their doors to hardcore bands. The shows were unusual — brightly lit, surrounded by memorabilia, sometimes featuring a crew of old men posted up at the bar all night — but they felt like more of a community effort. There wasn’t a club staff to run things for you. If you booked it, you had to handle door, sound, security, paying the bands — everything. The kids involved with this Lose Sight gig are taking all that stuff on themselves, even at a time when other hardcore bands are selling out big venues. They’re keeping the old school community feel alive. And I for one thing that is awesome.
It’s also fitting for Lose Sight, an old-school straight edge hardcore band whose music carries DNA from the same early 80s Boston bands whose imagery graces the flyer for this show. The stomping meanness of SS Decontrol, the hyperactive catchiness of DYS, and the go-for-broke energy of Jerry’s Kids all shines through on their new record, which fits seven songs into less than 10 minutes of music. At a time when new evolutions in the sound of hardcore are constant and memorable, these folks are carrying the torch for a sound that was all the rage when my 50-year-old ass was a little kid. And I gotta give them respect for it — especially since it’s impossible to sit still while listening to their new EP. Expect circle-pits aplenty when Lose Sight takes the stage, and get ready to stagedive. They’re joined on this bill by New York band Steamroll, another raging pack of straight edge hardcore bruisers. They’ve got more of an NYHC sound than a Boston sound, but they won’t get in any fights with Lose Sight — in this case, two great sounds really can sound great together. Tampa’s Wasted Life are also on the bill, bringing a more metallic, moshier sound that should still get plenty of stagedives happening with the quickness. Harrisonburgers Companion of Fools round things out with a downright death-metallic chugging mosh sound that might be considered beatdown — but even if it isn’t, it’s just across the line. This one’s gonna be a real blast, even if you’ve gotta go the extra mile to get there.
March 4, 7 PM
DuctTape Jesus @ Plan 9 Music – Free!
Editor’s Note:
Doug here, once again stepping into Drew’s column to let you know that our next Plan 9 showcase of 2026 is happening this Wednesday with DuctTape Jesus. I could tell you that showing up to this one can help move the needle on the city’s ongoing issue with hip-hop representation in performing spaces. I could mention that it’s free… and early enough to leave room for the rest of your evening. I could even dangle the possibility of hearing some brand-new material from DTJ. But I don’t really need to do any of that. All I need to do is remind you of this: DuctTape Jesus is one of the city’s most electrifying performers, and every set he delivers feels like an unpredictable marvel. It will be explosive, intentional, and impossible to ignore. Take that to heart and make your way to Carytown on Wednesday night.
Wednesday, March 4, 7 PM
Author & Punisher, King Yosef, Black Magnet @ Richmond Music Hall at Capital Ale House – $28.42 (order tickets HERE)
Author & Punisher has been in a class by itself for a while now; the one-man project led by Tristan Shone, and featuring a variety of instruments he built himself in order to emit drones, pounds, and various noises, has never been easy to categorize. Is it metal? Industrial? Both? Some unholy other thing? The answer is not only complicated but feels like it changes from year to year, as Shone moves from more ambient or beat-focused work into heavier walls of noise. With the release of their latest LP, Nocturnal Birding, Author & Punisher seem to have morphed yet again, using interludes constructed of literal bird sounds as well as atmospheric programmed passages to lead into metallic sections that feel downright skull-crushing. If you’ve always figured this group was too gothic for you, or something of that nature, it’s time for you to check back in — these days Author & Punisher are actually heavy as fuck.
Part of what has enabled this increase in their density and wallop is the addition of former A Life Once Lost guitarist Doug Sabolick on guitars, which thickens the Author & Punisher sound considerably, as well as taking them in the direction of the organic. I’m not sure if Sabolick will be performing with Shone on this tour, but if he is, I have a feeling that things will get downright Godflesh-like as this duo hits the stage to pound out unrelenting walls of riff monstrosity. You definitely won’t want to miss this one, even if you weren’t previously a fan of Author & Punisher — an interest in heavy music is more than sufficient for this one. Despite a name that might lead you to expect Caribbean hip hop/reggae fusion, support act King Yosef is actually a volcanic fusion of metal scraping and industrial pound, hailing from Portland and traveling all the way across the country to crush your skull. Get in line — you’ll be delighted by the results. Rounding out the bill is Oklahoma City heavy-industrial project Black Magnet, who will get the evening started with what I’d consider the most Fallout-dance-floor-friendly set of the night, though don’t worry, they’re still more than heavy enough for the headbangers among you. Come to this one ready to headbang — if you don’t, someone else will, and then you’ll have to join in. Best to be prepared!
Thursday, March 5, 7 PM
Friendship Commanders, Temptress, Luxury Weapons @ Cobra Cabana – $12.51 (order tickets HERE)
Blame me for my mistaken pre-conceived notions if you must, but I think it makes sense: when I heard the name Friendship Commanders, I assumed that the band who went by this moniker played bouncy, upbeat indie tunes, probably involving a synthesizer at some point in the process. Boy was I wrong! Friendship Commanders, a guitar-drum duo based in Nashville and led by phenomenal vocalist and guitarist Buick Audra, have a variety of sounds mixed into what they do, but none of them are indie, and none of them involve synths. Instead, this loud n’ proud bassless duo combine sludgy stoner-rock tendencies with a basis in shoegaze-style fuzz, then stir in elements pulled from classic rock in order to increase the anthemic quotient (and let me tell ya, it works). On the group’s latest album, Bear, they rampage through a succession of headbang-inspiring sludge-riff brilliance, and if you focus solely on those basic elements of their sound, I’m sure the whole thing feels like an invitation to give yourself a bangover.
That said, if you listen more closely and focus more on the subtle influences that come mainly through in Buick Audra’s sensitive yet powerful voice, you’re bound to come away thinking, “Wait, actually this band is incredibly melodic.” In a world where doom-style guitar riffs are frankly about a dime a dozen, what really sets Friendship Commanders apart are the more subtle layers they involve in their songwriting. These are tunes you can bang you head to, and still find yourself humming them in the shower a few days later. Friendship Commanders are joined on this tour by Temptress, a Dallas, Texas trio who play loud heavy music but avoid the 6-letter “S” word, instead bringing a touch of proggy epic to their loud, echoing riffs and pounding drums. Recent album Hear showcases the trio at their best — locking in to blow away all comers with the sheer unrelenting majesty of their riffs. Locals Luxury Weapons get the evening started, and with the track record bassist Trevere Thomas and drummer Erik Josephson have accumulated (Hex Machine, Human Thurma, Hewolf, Today is the Day, etc) it’s clear we can expect some real awesomeness from these folks. The songs they’ve released in the run-up to their first LP, The Light In A Low Place, give the idea of constantly building tension and steadily increasing power. I imagine this band will be a real threat to steal the show from the opening slot; just remember to show up on time so you don’t miss the fireworks.
Friday, March 6, 7 PM
Cognitive, Short Bus Pile-Up, Disrotter, Doomhauer @ Bandito’s – $15 (order tickets HERE)
I definitely pay attention to who does what around this city, and I definitely learn a lot from doing so. For example, I have long since learned that if Rival Booking is involved in promoting a local show, that’s almost certainly going to be a really good show. And so, I have had this upcoming performance by New Jersey technical death metal band Cognitive on my radar for months now. Never mind that I didn’t know much about Cognitive — I have learned to trust Rival Booking’s taste. I know they won’t steer me wrong. Lo and behold, that continues to be true, as Cognitive turn out to be an incredibly killer band with a creative focus that belies the fact that you can easily slot them into a category like “technical death metal.” Assuming that category tells you everything you need to know is like assuming the fact that someone says you’re having chicken for dinner means you know all there is to know about what they’re preparing. Could be KFC, could be adobo… you just don’t know.
Here’s what Cognitive is: an absolute blazing ripper of a band with an engaging and memorable fascination with melody. Their songs hit hard and scrape across your skin with their malevolence, leaving musical rugburn in their wake. And yet, if you pay close attention, you can hear the subtle education in melody and complex rhythmic arrangements that go into their songs, leaving them at times resembling the almighty Decapitated, while at others, they bring in the straight-up black metal energy of Emperor. It all adds up to something I love a lot, and I expect Cognitive to be even better, more unhinged, and more scathing in person than they even are on recording. And that’s saying something. Virginia-based guttural death metallers Short Bus Pile-Up (whose name, I must admit, is a bit cringe in 2026) are on hand to bring some slam-style low-end mosh to the proceedings, while locals Disrotter roll out some incredibly catchy old-school Florida style death metal to keep all our heads banging. Openers Doomhauer, whose name appears to be a reference to a King Of The Hill character, have that goregrind-ish sample-heavy reference-laden low end rumble sound down pat and will surely get this one off to a raging start. You know what to do.
Saturday, March 7, 6:30 & 9 PM
Fonville X Fribush, feat. Morgan Burrs, Tennishu, Charles Owens @ Reveler Experiences – $30 (order tickets for early show HERE, late show HERE)
Richmond may be a decently large city, but if you’re deeply involved in anything going around here, you’re bound to notice after a while that everyone seems to know everyone, and at the end of the day, there are a few key characters who are involved in almost everything. In the world of soulful jazz sounds here in Richmond, it’s the members of Butcher Brown who end up occupying that role. Highly prolific with massively varied interests and a seemingly limitless suppy of energy make them all capable of keeping their group together rolling full steam ahead even as they pursue a variety of side projects and solo excursions. Take Butcher Brown drummer Corey Fonville’s new project with organist Sam Fribush, which recently resulted in the EP R&B Organ Trio. Lately, Fonville’s been doing a variety of solo gigs and collabs with various other musicians, even separate from his integral role in Butcher Brown. Now, he will once again join up with Sam Fribush to bring a live version of their ongoing collaboration to the assembled faithful at Reveler. And if you’re not already planning to be there, well… we definitely think your plans should change..
Instead of the Fonville X Fribush performance being limited to the trio that made their debut collaboration, this version of the group will expand to five members, incorporating guitar from Butcher Brown’s Morgan Burrs, horns and hip hop lyricism from Butcher Brown’s Marcus Tenney, aka Tennishu, and incredible sax sounds from local jazz/indie luminary Charles Owens. Once all five of these incredible players join up, you can expect a serious celebration of the classic art of soulful jazz organ music, evoking legends like Jimmy Smith and Eddie Harris — along with other often-forgotten legends of the genre. And as magnificent as Fonville X Fribush’s first work together is, the expanded version of this lineup should take everything they do to a whole other level. Shows at Reveler involving these folks tend to sell out in advance, so honestly, if you want to be a part of this, you should ask fast. You’ll be glad you did.
Sunday, March 8, 7 PM
Babe Lewis, Your, Mazarine @ The Camel – $13.22 (order tickets HERE)
The shoegaze revival is in full swing these days — has been for a few years, in fact — and there are definitely a lot of bands out there trying to capture the glory days of My Bloody Valentine, Ride, and Rocketship, among others. However, while a lot of bands can figure out the guitar fuzz pretty well, it’s rare to hear a group who gets the overall sound right, and it’s quite a bit more rare to hear a band that does all of that while still having something new and intriguing to say with the genre. The fact that Babe Lewis, a Harrisonburg trio that got started as a vehicle for the songwriting efforts of band leader Joseph Harder, have come across my radar randomly due to a Sunday night gig at The Camel, only to demonstrate their true prowess with the shoegaze sound, feels highly unlikely.
And yet, all you have to do is listen to the group’s latest LP, Sunspot, and you know it’s all true. The vibes are thick, all-encompassing, and immaculate, and the tunes themselves are catchy as heck. If, like me, you’ve missed this example of the new wave of modern shoegaze, you owe it to yourself to give Babe Lewis a listen. Fellow Harrisonburg band Your, whose name is a true SEO nightmare, approach their sound with a more ramshackle, ragged-but-right feel, generating a slacker-rock feel that would fit right in with first-LP Pavement. Locals Mazarine open up with a lovely guitar-driven indie sound that doesn’t quite sneak into the shoegaze lane, but definitely lives somewhere in the more ambient regions nearby. Expect a lot of fuzz pedals to be deployed during this performance. Should be awesome.
Monday, March 9, 7 PM
Cootie Catcher, Kitty Corner, The Lampreys, Hotspit @ Gallery 5 – $15 (order tickets HERE)
I don’t think it’ll surprise anyone to hear that I don’t really consider myself a pop girlie. Sure, I had a Lady Gaga phase at one point, and I’ve definitely enjoyed quite a few radio hits over the years. But everyone does that kind of thing on occasion. Fact is, most of the time I’m listening to music that doesn’t fit under any definition of pop, no matter how stretched. Or at least, that feels true… but every once in a while, I’m sitting around listening to some cool underground artist that most people don’t know about, and I suddenly am compelled to admit, “OK, this is just a really off-kilter approach to pop.” Cootie Catcher, who hail from Toronto, are the latest band to induce this reaction in me. Their ramshackle guitar-bass-drums indie lineup and their tendency to use Joan Of Arc-style synth bleeps to add texture to their bouncy, delightfully messy songs are things that might confuse you for a while. But there are only so many times you can get one of this band’s flawlessly written choruses stuck in your head before you’re ready to admit it: Cootie Catcher are just a really unusual, really great pop band.
I doubt the average person who mostly just sits around listening to Britney Spears and Taylor Swift will quite get what I mean here, but you’re a reader of my column, so I assume you have a more sophisticated palate than that. So hey, check out Cootie Catcher at Gallery 5 on Monday night, and see for yourself just how poppy, catchy, and fun their music can truly be. And while you’re at it, you can check out three Richmond groups of similar persuasion. Kitty Corner are definitely a bit more toward the old-time twang and disrupted midnight radio waves than Cootie Catcher, but they have a knack for a catchy tune, as is shown by debut single “Michael”/”Claws.” I know very little about Richmonders The Lampreys — even their Instagram page leaves me with more questions than answered — but if nothing else, their set will certainly be an intriguing fact-finding mission. Honestly, I could say the same about our openers, Hotspit, who are billed as “Hotspit (solo)” on the flyer. So is this Hotspit frontperson Avery Fogarty going their separate ways from the rest of the band? Is this a solo project that is completely separate from the group, but using the band name to make sure everyone knows what they’re in for? Ultimately I’m not sure I care — I’m just glad to hear Fogarty, a true Richmond talent, is still making music. Needless to say, you’re going to want to show up on time for this one.
Tuesday, March 10, 7 PM
Inoculation, Atomic Witch, Appalling @ Richmond Music Hall at Capital Ale House – $21.25 (order tickets HERE)
We’ve made our way through a variety of heavy genres over the course of this column, but we still haven’t touched on the classic sound of death metal the way I liked it as a high school kid in the early 90s. On 2025’s Actuality, Inoculation nails that sound perfectly, splitting the difference between legendary Morbid Angel classics and the chunkier, more breakdown-focused work of early Incantation, for example. All of this plus a clear joy in their playing and composition, and you get a band that’s a real delight to listen to. And I don’t care if you think it’s weird for me to say listening to a death metal band makes me happy — there’s plenty of room for all of us freaks in the world. And in the front row of the Richmond Music Hall show.
Inoculation’s tourmates on this show are Atomic Witch, and this band combines some unusual characteristics in the world of metal into a delightful melange that doesn’t come our way every day. The metal singer who hits operatic high notes at least once per verse became a cliche, a punch line, then a thing of the past by the end of the 1980s, but these folks unironically deploy King Diamond-style high-pitched vocals for emphasis in a sound that otherwise straddles the line between mid-80s power metal a la Iron Maiden and Helloween and some legitimately thrashy riff acrobatics. It might feel a little weird to listen to this band and their falsetto screams in front of anyone else, but the songs are just too triumphant to let that worry you for that long. Richmonders Appalling will kick this one off with a powerful dose of high-speed, raging black metal. It’s a great way to start off your Tuesday night, and you’ll definitely want to get there on time and appreciate every band on this bill. Headbangs galore await you. You know what to do.
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
Please consider supporting my Patreon, where I’m writing crazy fiction on semi-regular schedules (complete sapphic rom-com novel available to read there now. Crazy story about teenage lesbians having a sleepover currently being posted. 90s period piece supernatural horror novel begins serialization in March 2026). patreon.com/marilyndrewnecci
