RVA Shows You Must See This Week: November 12 – November 18
FEATURED SHOW
Friday, November 14, 7 PM
Piranha Rama, Unmastered Masters, Russell Lacy, DJ Sidewinder @ Get Tight Lounge – $15 (order tickets HERE)
Here’s something I learned from my days playing in bands: the larger your lineup, the harder it is to keep the band together. Adding a second guitarist is all very well, but it might throw serious complications into the schedule. The biggest band I was ever in had five members, and it was incredibly difficult to make sure we were all available for practice, let alone shows. And tours? Don’t get me started. I used to see nine-member ska bands with huge horn sections and wonder how in the world they managed. Piranha Rama don’t play ska, but they fluctuate somewhere around the nine-member mark at all times, and seem to have at least that many people involved in the creation of their brand new fourth album, Phony Frontier. And yet somehow they carry on, not only surviving but thriving with that enormous lineup. Indeed, it is if anything one of their biggest strengths — something that’s very obvious once you listen to their brand new record.
It’s that record that Piranha Rama is headed to Get Tight Lounge this Friday night to celebrate, and since it’s available to listen to now on Bandcamp, I will go on and spoil it for you: it’s a total blast of effervescent pop music, full of horn-section swagger that harks back to the days of beach music and Southern soul. Chrissie Lozano’s incredible voice is so lush and full of life that she sounds like she just stepped right out of a Shangri-La’s record, and the swinging rock n’ roll band backing her up, full of legendary local talents with all sorts of different musical backgrounds, completely rises to the challenge her voice lays down, creating thick beds of beautiful sound for these incredible soul-pop hooks to sink luxuriously into.
So yeah, the new Piranha Rama’s every bit as great as you expected, and it’s set to come to glorious Technicolor life right before your very eyes this Friday night at Get Tight Lounge. You definitely won’t want to miss it, considering that the live experience is one of Piranha Rama’s greatest strengths — and something that’ll never come across from a mere Bandcamp download (which is not to say you shouldn’t buy the album; by all means, buy the album!). Put it this way: if you’re on the fence, give them the length of Friday night’s set to convince you. I promise they will. The evening will also feature a set from western Virginia rock n’ rollers Unmastered Masters, who feature former members of Pavement and Baroness. Russell Lacy, who is at least Piranha Rama’s closest co-conspirator if not an actual band member (I’m not even sure, you’d have to ask them), will open the evening with a set of his vibe-heavy rock n’ roll tunes. And of course DJ Sidewinder will provide the between-sets tuneage to maximize the awesomeness of the evening. It’s gonna be one for the ages. You know what to do.
Wednesday, November 12, 7 PM
The New Mastersounds, Sidechick @ The Broadberry – $36.60 (order tickets HERE)
I don’t feel like I hear much of those old-school soul-funk groove sounds being laid down anymore. Hell, even when I was much younger, I mainly heard that kind of thing getting sampled on hip hop records. All those classic soul-jazz instrumentals and Southern funk sounds from bands as wide-ranging as The Meters and The Bar-Kays — it all went away at a certain point. It even fell out of fashion as source material for hip hop samples. And that’s a goddamn shame, because all those old records, James Brown and Junior Walker and Groove Holmes and all the rest, they all sound fucking amazing. And you could be forgiven for thinking, “it’s a damn shame no one is still doing this sound today,” because it can be tough to find the bands that are doing it. But it turns out, those bands do exist, and one of the best bands of that type in the whole world will be in Richmond on this very night, rocking everyone’s socks off over at The Broadberry.
I speak, of course, of the New Mastersounds, a British-American jazz-soul-funk group that has been getting funky and making the crowd move their feet for over 20 years now. They’ve released well over a dozen albums on their own label, One Note Records, the most recent being Old School, a collection of rough-and-ready instrumentals put together in a brief period of time to capture the true down-to-earth essence of the New Mastersounds. Now, the group is touring around the United States as part of a jaunt they’ve called the Ta-Ta For Now Farewell USA tour. While the group will be continuing, they no longer plan to tour internationally, which means that these dates will be their last in the United States for the foreseeable future. And so, if you want your booty shaken and your head rocked, you know what you must do: journey to The Broadberry on this fine Wednesday night and queue up for the New Mastersounds, who will be making the dance floor come alive one last time before heading back to the UK. They’ll be joined on this bill by local soulful rock n’ rollers Sidechick, who have a decent cult following here in town and will certainly get the place heated up to start the night. Get funky.
Thursday, November 13, 7 PM
Dunums, DuctTape Jesus, Gull, Gardener @ Cobra Cabana – $15
It’s a tough time in history to be Palestinian, and few know that better than Dunums leader Sijal Nasralla, who has been leading this very personal project for nearly 20 years now. Originally inspired by a trip Nasralla made to see family in Palestine back during the 2000s, the most recent Dunums LP, I Wasn’t That Thought, was inspired by both Nasralla’s daughter, Tasneem, and by witnessing the twin devastations of the COVID-19 pandemic and the genocide in Gaza. Despite the darkness inherent in such subject matter, especially considered through the eyes of a child, Dunums have created a delicate, beautiful piece of music, which captures many different emotions at once in its gorgeous vocal melodies and chiming guitars. With elements of classic emo, shoegaze, and indie/alternative rock music twisted through it, Dunums’ music should charm all comers with its deep, meaningful delights.
DuctTape Jesus is coming from a very different place, his hedonistic hip hop stylings always a joy to sink into, even if they do at times (such as on recent single “Dreamboat”) feel like the glowing morass of a downer trip. There’s depth and profundity there if you know where to look, though, and it’s worth sinking deeply into his music to find it. Course, it’s just as much fun to stop worrying about all that and let the grooves carry you away. The woozy vaporwave vibes of DuctTape Jesus’s breakthrough album, 2023’s Chester Skate Land, are full of subtle emotion and brilliant layering. That will come through when you’re in the room Thursday night — I guarantee it. This bill is rounded out by Gull’s one-person trip to the fantastical center of what music a person can create using only percussion, vocal loops, and the occasional guitar, and by the hypnotic ambient swells of Gardener, the musical project of fellow music journalist Dash Lewis. Respect.
Friday, November 14, 7 PM
Eyewash, Ultra Bleach, Receiver @ Gallery 5 – $10 (order tickets HERE)
The renaissance in heavy shoegaze that has been happening in the hardcore-adjacent musical underground over the past few years has been a thrilling development at all times, and the Pittsburgh ensemble known as Eyewash are having a fruitful time exploring the possibilities inherent in the path paved by groups like Glare and Fleshwater. Starting out as a poppier project that betrayed its heavier roots mainly through its tense, ominous rhythm section, Eyewash’s 2024 single “Bound” and especially their latest EP, Dividing Line, find them pulling heavy, chugging guitars and screamed vocal crescendos into their already potent sound. Always catchy, Eyewash’s tunes nonetheless remain sharp, edgy, always on the edge of bursting into a much heavier riff. And when those moments of payoff do finally come, they offer a catharsis as delightful as any you’ll find in much heavier music.
No wonder the hardcore kids seem to like this band; regardless of their tendency to dip into lovely, hazy melody, Eyewash’s riff-heavy bona fides remain intact. They’re supported on this bill by two Richmond-based bands whose musical approaches, though far different, are just as genuine as that of Eyewash. First of the two is Ultra Bleach, a snarling punk rock quartet who bring together old-school 50s-style rock n’ roll riffing and snarky vocals that sounds straight out of the late 70s/early 80s punk scene produced by London and LA. Receiver, the second local band on this bill, is new enough that I haven’t heard them. However, they appear from what little I have encountered online to be an intriguing mix of indie coolness and punk energy, so expect great things from them when they get this show started.
Saturday, November 15, 8 PM
White Beast, Rikki Rakki, Wrong Worshippers @ The Camel – $12 in advance, $15 day of show (order tickets HERE)
We were talking just a bit ago in this column about how difficult a time in history it is for those who come from Palestine, and only a couple of days later in column-time, here is another show that makes it clear how much those involved in putting it on care and are concerned and upset about the ongoing war in Palestine. This show is a benefit for Students for Justice in Palestine VCU, and its proceeds will help fund SJP VCU’s organizing efforts, including education and community support both overseas and here in Richmond. It won’t just be the show’s proceeds that will go to SJP VCU, either — White Beast will also be releasing a brand new version of “So It Goes,” from their latest EP, Home Alone. The new version will feature guest vocals from Rikki Rakki’s Erika Blatnik and string arrangements by Paul Willson, and all proceeds from that single will also be sent to SJP VCU. These artists care about something more than rocking out and making money — you gotta love that.
Whiate Beast, a Richmond-based two-piece with a stripped-down yet incredibly heavy rock n’ roll sound, are a great band even if you don’t concern yourself with their political positions (though let’s be real, not caring what a band’s politics are is for the birds). “So It Goes” is already a particular highlight of their young but significant career, so it’ll be particularly interesting to hear this new, expanded version of the group really stretch out on the new version of the single. Live at The Camel, I expect them to do much more of their usual thing, which involves rocking the joint so hard that microscopic dust particles rain down from the ceiling onto the roiling mosh pit below, even as they embed their heavy riffs into song structures containing subtle yet devastating melodies. Rikki Rakki aren’t quite trying to hit you that hard, but the emotion that comes through in their country-tinged lovelorn indie melodies is sure to catch you off-guard regardless. Before you know it, you’ll be swept away with them. The evening starts off with Wrong Worshippers doing their Big Business/godheadSilo thing with just bass and drums, cranked up really high and thudding out rock n’ roll classics with creative, heartfelt lyrics. This whole evening will be full of great tunes and great political ideals — if you don’t want to be there, I feel sorry for you.
Sunday, November 16, 6 PM
The Lemonheads, Erin Rae @ The Broadberry – $56 (order tickets HERE)
It’s been a big year for Lemonheads fans. Almost 20 years after the last original Lemonheads material was released, the band suddenly started putting out new singles back at the beginning of the year. Then last month, they released Love Chant, their first new LP of original tunes since 2006’s The Lemonheads. The album was released only two weeks after the release of Rumors Of My Demise, Lemonheads frontman Evan Dando’s memoir of his struggles with drug addiction. And now the 2025 incarnation of the Lemonheads is out on tour, filling set lists with a mixture of new tunes and classics from their early 90s breakthrough albums, It’s A Shame About Ray and Come On Feel the Lemonheads.
Fans of those classic Lemonheads albums will definitely enjoy the new album, which finds the group in a laid-back, pastoral mode, mixing acoustic and electric guitars and adding catchy choruses and lovelorn harmonies that showcase Dando’s still-lovely voice. Granted, it’s a little rougher than it once was — all those years messing around with drugs didn’t leave the man unscathed — but he still sounds wonderful, as do all of the new songs the band will be unveiling from the Broadberry stage. It’s wonderful to see The Lemonheads back in action after so many years of little to no activity, and I’d love to believe that this new book, album, and tour are only the beginning of a fresh new era of Lemonheads amazingness. That said, I would be lying if I told you there was good reason to believe The Lemonheads would be touring frequently in the coming years. Frankly, if you’re a fan, now is always the time to go see them. Who knows how long it’ll be before they come back through town? Make the most of this opportunity, and sing along extra loud to “Confetti” and “Rest Assured.” You’ll never regret it.
Monday, November 17, 6 PM
Dying Wish, Static Dress, Gouge Away, Orthodox, Boltcutter @ The Canal Club – $26 in advance, $30 day of show (order tickets HERE)
Well, we got pretty far into the column this week without a big dose of heavy, metallic hardcore, but I gotta say, if a whole week went by without something brutal making it into the column, I would be an unhappy camper. Fortunately, the Canal Club saves the day this Monday night, presenting a gig full of scorching, powerful metalcore, hardcore, and punk groups that’ll make the beginning of your workweek something truly special. Dying Wish is of course at the top of that list, and this Portland-based ensemble is dealing out some powerful shots to the dome on their latest LP, Flesh Stays Together. Vocalist Emma Boster’s harsh screams and cold declarations hit all the harder overtop of the sharp-edged riffs and brutal breakdowns that fill the album and their many other tunes. Of course, every band in the metalcore world’s gotta have at least a few melodic singing parts, but Boster has a voice worthy of them, and they never outstay their welcome. This group knows to keep it heavy, and hit us hard with it. This Monday night at the Canal club, they’re sure to have the whole place moshing.
There are some formidable talents in the support slots on this show as well, with Static Dress coming first on the list. This UK band is slightly less heavy than Dying Wish, but fill the gap with occasional melodic parts that sound a lot like the catchy choruses Underoath used to break out. I always loved Underoath, especially when they could mix catchy, hard-hitting riffs with emo-style melodies and harsh screams all at once. Static Dress hits a similarly affecting mix of emotion and brutality, and will blow away anyone who was too young to catch Underoath on the They’re Only Chasing Safety tour (and even those of us who saw that shit). The incredible Gouge Away are on this lineup as well, and while this band has always been more of an intense punk rock group than an outright hardcore band, their energy and fury remain in plentiful evidence on their third album, 2024’s Deep Sage. Their live performances are sure to capture that intensity in a powerful manner, so you won’t want to miss a second. Nashville metalcore band Orthodox are incredibly heavy but also know how to play fast and capture the intensity of classic hardcore within their raging musical whirlwind — expect their set to be a high point of the evening for sheer brutality. Boltcutter will open things up with some low-end saturated, moshy as fuck slam death metal — expect a lot of low rumbling growls and chugging pinch harmonic riffs. This entire evening’s gonna be heavy and brutal and it’s gonna rule throughout.
Tuesday, November 18, 7 PM
RVA Community Fridges benefit, feat. Gull, Gorrak, Circle Breaker, Auto Icon, Silent Choir @ Starr Hill Brewery – Free!
OK, look, I know it says the show’s free up there, and that’s a true fact. But you should really bring some cash, or some food, to donate to RVA Community Fridges, because the work these folks are doing is the most direct way of feeding the hungry that I’m seeing around town right now. With over a dozen fridges in locations all over the city, RVA Community Fridges offer food to anyone who might need it — no strings attached. As their website says, “RVA Community Fridges is about more than free food. It’s neighbors helping neighbors. It’s sharing our abundance and receiving what we need… It’s about building a more resilient community.” Especially right now, when it seems the entire country is headed pell-mell into a recession, we’re all in need of this community spirit, and plenty of folks will need the aid RVA Community Fridges are offering. So hey — donate to the cause while you’re at this show!
And then enjoy five different bands from the local area. Gull, our headliner, has changed a lot from his early days as a one-man grindcore band, playing guitar and drums at the same time while screaming. The latest Gull EP, Zugunruhe, finds Nathaniel Rappole delving deep into electronic music and gothic pop. The result is stunning, and may or may not bear any resemblance to the set Gull gives us at Starr Hill this Tuesday night. But regardless, the man will do something highly interesting. As for Gorrak, this highly unusual duo mixes saxophone and drums into a surprisingly heavy and danceable combo that has elements of klezmer, jazz, grindcore, and punk mixed in, among quite a few other sounds. I definitely approve. Of course Circle Breaker, who are developing a strong local following for good reason, bash out some harsh and intense Motorhead-influenced queercore. Gotta love that. Auto Icon play raw, fast hardcore punk, which I always enjoy — and you should too. The bill is rounded out by Silent Choir, who are playing their first show, and whom I know basically nothing about. But that shouldn’t dissuade you in light of the strengths of the rest of the bill, the non-existent price of admission, and the good cause being supported here. Do it up!
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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