Thursday, April 18
“Super Freak: The Rick James Story” at Altria Theater
How is this show not rated triple X? We’ve heard Rick James stories. From his early days going AWOL from Vietnam and playing music with Neil Young in Canada, to dropping funky, chart-topping hits and competing on tour with a young Prince, to lurid tales of next level, head-spinning parties with the likes of Linda Blair from “The Exorcist,” to his later convictions for kidnapping and assault in the early ‘90s during the darkest days of his substance abuse. It should be interesting to see how this production handles the turbulent life of this music trailblazer; the show features Grammy-nominated vocalist Stokley of R&B group Mint Condition in the super freaky lead role. 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $59.23.
Los Straitjackets with Los Hermanos Alacranes at the Tin Pan
If you dig Lucha Libre Mexican wrestling and classic instrumental surf rock, tonight’s your night. Years ago, we saw these veteran musicians play Celine Deon’s melodramatic “Theme from Titanic” at Strawberry Fest in Yosemite and they took it to soaring new heights – now they’ve been together over 30 years. Local rockers Los Hermanos Alacranes (“The Scorpion Brothers”) are on Shockoe Records and they will be playing an acoustic set to open according to their social media. 8 p.m. $35.
Projekt for Progress – A Benefit for ACE Liberia featuring DJ William Projekt at River City Roll
Starting in 2003, guitarist DJ Williams and his eponymous Projekt played former local bar Café Diem every Tuesday night for nearly ten years. Tall, charismatic, with formidable chops, his genre-hopping style blazed a trail between funk, pop and jazz. By the end of his Richmond tenure, he was a touring member of saxophonist Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe. Now it has been nearly a decade since he moved away, first to Los Angeles then to Denver, but he still plays tribute to his local roots with the title of his new album: “By Way of RVA.”
The Projekt may be history, but it is living history, capable of reforming on the occasions he returns home, as he does annually for a benefit for his mother Sophie E. William’s ACE Liberia Foundation, which funds teacher development in the African nation, improving the education of over 200 teachers in 26 schools while benefitting over 7,000 students.
Tonight’s benefit also features Washington, DC’s excellent Gordon Sterling and the People. And for those looking for something as a lead-up to the event, jazz bassist Jason Jenkins with guitarist Alan Parker and drummer Billy Williams will be playing a wine tasting at the Barrel Thief from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Also, there is the conflicting alternative with the return of the charming, Grateful Dead-adjacent harpist Mikaela Davis to the Get Tight Lounge. But with a bit of luck, mobility, and timing, it may be possible to hit both. The ACE benefit runs 7 to 11 p.m. Tickets are $25 in advance, $30 at the door and include a drink ticket. –Peter McElhinney
Friday, April 19
Chelsea Handler: Little Big Bitch at Altria Theater
The comedian, television host and best-selling author brings her latest comedy tour to Richmond and it sounds like she’s coming in hot. Event starts at 7 p.m. and doors open one hour prior to showtime. Tickets are $45 and up and available here.
Cut Worms with Ben Butterworth at Richmond Music Hall
Cut Worms is the project of Ohio songwriter Max Clarke, now based in Brooklyn, who has released his three albums on noted indie label Jagjaguwar. We first heard him when he did strong covers of the Nerves (“Many Roads to Follow”) and Tucker Zimmerman’s classic “Old Fashioned Shotgun Wedding” on Aquarium Drunkard’s Lagniappe Sessions. Doors at 7 p.m. and show at 8 p.m. $18 in advance.
Saturday, April 20
The 25th annual Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10K
Yes, it’s been that long Richmond. Over a half-million participants later, and it just keeps getting better for “Richmond’s biggest block party.” For the 25th year, organizers expect over 24,000 participants, the largest number since 2019. Last year, two people broke age group records for the 10k in Virginia. Race day packet and pickup runs from 7 a.m.- 9:30 a.m. at the Siegel Center, adjacent to the start line at Broad and Harrison; the 10k starts in waves at 8:30 a.m. A full schedule of events (which start Thursday) can be found here.
Record Store Day at participating stores
Saturday is this year’s Record Store Day, when vinyl collectors line up in the predawn hours in hopes of snagging limited-edition albums. The event, first held in 2008 as a way of drumming up business for independently-owned music retailers, is now celebrated the world over, and there are multiple spots where Richmonders can partake. Those lining up early at Plan 9 in Carytown [which an employee says could start as early as 11 p.m. the night before] will enjoy coffee and pastries courtesy of Claudia’s Bake Shop. Small Friend Records and Books will also be participating, as will Crossroads Records, located in Stony Point Fashion Park. Deep Groove Records will be in celebratory mode, slinging wax alongside branded 45 adapters made in honor of the Robinson Street store’s 15th anniversary. Titles on this year’s list of exclusives range from rediscovered jazz recordings to Ramones demos and a precious Beatles box set pairing a bite-sized turntable with three-inch copies of songs the British invaders performed on the Ed Sullivan Show 60 years ago. For more information, visit recordstoreday.com.—Davy Jones
Cobra Cabana’s 420 Freakout feat. Native Dread, Lost Soul Society and Soundwave Supply Co.
Tired from running the Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10k in record time with barbell weights strapped to your buttocks? You may want a chill night of music to celebrate the world’s finest herbal medicine. This freakout features a free DJ set at 4:20 p.m. by local rocker and problem-solver, Valient Himself (heard below crooning an Alice Cooper classic from his tasteful and purely awesome pandemic project, “Crooner Jukebox”) and later, three reggae bands perform live: Native Dread, Lost Soul Society and Soundwave Supply Co. The live music starts at 8 p.m. and there is a music curfew at 11 p.m. Tickets are $10 at the door for this 21-and-over show.
Broadberry’s 10th Anniversary Block Party featuring the Infamous Stringdusters, No BS! Brass, Prabir Trio and the Mitras
There have been many local block parties and much good live music made right there near Broad and Boulevard at the Broadberry, and this year’s decade anniversary throwdown should be extra happy. Rain or shine. Show starts at 4:30 p.m. General admission tickets range from $20-$40 and can be purchased online or at Plan 9 or the Broadberry box office.
Steve Bassett and BJ Kocen at Gramophone
Old-school Richmonders may know these guys from different projects (Bassett is co-author of “Sweet Virginia Breeze,” our official state song). But you may not know the duo has been writing songs together for almost a decade. With styles ranging from “country swing to sci-fi funk,” they produced a concept album involving their connection to the natural world that is being released on 4/20 as “The Pond Sessions.” Free show. 7 p.m. 4827 Forest Hill Ave.
Wednesday, April 24
Belle and Sebastian with Haley Heynderickx at the National
One of the finest indie pop bands from Glasgow, Scotland to ever sing catchy, literate, tweeful tunes is scheduled to play what must be its first Richmond show. Formed in the early ‘90s, the band quickly earned fans with indelible early songs such as “The State That I Am In,” “Stars of Track and Field” and “Judy and the Dream of Horses,” and has kept a pretty consistent batting average ever since, whether rocking out at Coachella or conjuring soulful, late-night grooves such as “Don’t Leave the Light On, Baby.” Opening is Portland singer-songwriter Haley Heynderickx, whose lovely voice recalls ‘60s folk greats (hear her cover of Jackson C. Frank’s “Blues Run The Game” below). Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Show at 7:30 p.m. Note: Tickets may be hard to come by at this late date, the show was rescheduled from a past date, but there were a few left at press time.