Friday, Aug. 30
Kendall Street Company at Brambly Park
There’s no such thing as a bad night for seeing the devoted-fanbase-accumulating, lemon-mascot-tossing, cheddar-cheese-rhapsodizing, Grateful-Dead-reharmonizing rock shapeshifters, Kendall Street Company. But those who head to Brambly Park on Friday night will be right on time to help celebrate the release of a new single titled “Porridge.” The track is part of the (mostly) Charlottesville-based quintet’s streaming-friendly, song-a-month release schedule, which has been going strong since January. Incidentally, this isn’t the first time Richmond has hosted the band on one of those drop days. Those lucky enough to be at the Camel on Feb. 23, the day “I Am The Wheel (It Could Happen to You)” landed, witnessed an especially energized sold-out performance. Wheel over to Brambly Park this weekend and the same could, to quote a certain group of rock shapeshifters, happen to you. Doors open at 9 p.m. and music starts at 9:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 ($20 the day of the show) and can be purchased via linktr.ee/kendallstreetcompany.—Davy Jones
Woody Woodworth and the Piners, Sequoia Fienson and the Pinkerton Raid at Get Tight Lounge
Part of the new revival of country music in Virginia, Woody Woodworth and the Piners have been making a name for themselves since first starting out in 2016 and have even gotten the nod from the likes of Patterson Hood, who joined them onstage in RVA during a tribute to the great Wes Freed. Go here for tickets.
Saturday, Aug. 31
Happily Natural Day at 5th District Mini Farm (Manchester)
Celebrate Black health, culture and urban farming at this long-running festival that features a diverse array of lectures, workshops and speakers, plus food vendors of course. Runs from noon to 10 p.m. 2208 Bainbridge. Free to enter. Learn more here.
The 17th Annual Latin Jazz and Salsa Show Festival at 17th Street Market
The annual dance-happy fest runs from noon to 8 p.m. Read our feature preview by Don Harrison. Free event parking.
AfroFest 2024 at Dogwood Dell Park
A celebration of culture, unity and heritage that will feature African cultures through music, dance, food and community spirit. There will be performances by Nuke Major, Slymboyz, Rhythm and the Biney Dancers. You can also participate in a soccer tournament and feel free to bring the kids, there will be a Kidz Zone, games and activities. Also free health screenings. Runs from 1 – 7 p.m. Free
DJ Williams at Get Tight Lounge and F Train at Kindred Spirit Brewing
The summer ends with the return of hometown guitar hero DJ Williams to the Get Tight Lounge. Weather permitting, it’s the perfect venue for his hard rocking, jazz-adjacent set of mostly original songs. Now based in Denver, Williams returns often enough to refresh his local credentials. That is an effort emphasized by the title of his most recent album, “By Way of RVA.” If you know him from his years of weekly gigs at Café Diem, or just from his past decades of rollicking shows, just knowing he is back for another gig is argument enough. Side note: the Get Tight name is accurate for the patio of the venue in a popular show, so getting there early is not the worst idea.
For something equally guitar driven but a little more laid back, start the night with F Train (formerly Fevered Train) at the new Scott’s Addition/Diamond location of Kindred Spirit Brewing. The band plays mostly classic covers, with songs from the likes of the Allman Brothers, the Rolling Stones, and Cracker, mixed with originals. Lead guitarist Ali John Amirshahi was recently elevated to the bench at Richmond General District Court. Given that F Train is kind of a dad band, or a passion project made of players with other professions, it raises the dad joke question: “If you can’t judge a book by its cover, can you book a cover band by it’s judge?”
DJ Williams plays the Get Tight Lounge on Saturday with doors at 8 p.m. Tickets are $18.19 in advance. And F Train plays the new Kindred Spirits satellite location, 1626 Ownby Lane, from 6-9 p.m. Admission is free.—Peter McElhinney
Sunday, Sept. 1
Festival of the Arts presents Andrew Ali and Josh Small at Dogwood Dell
Get down at the Dell by “celebrating old traditions with new additions.” This night will feature stirring blues/folk by two well-known local players. 8 p.m.
Monday, Sept. 2
Labor of Love Festival at Brambly Park
Parting is such sweet sorrow, especially when you have a great concert to go to over the long weekend marking the unofficial end of summer. Baripete Productions has assembled quite the lovely lineup for the Labor of Love Festival, which takes place on Labor Day at Brambly Park. Eight bands in total will perform, including some of the region’s fastest rising country-tinged acts, from Harrisonburg’s Dogwood Tales to Richmond-based outfits Mackenzie Roark and the Hotpants and Chris Leggett and the Copper Line. If you were hoping to lend a hand to a good cause over the holiday, you’re in luck; proceeds will benefit a trio of nonprofits: A Stage to Stand On, Freedom Ukraine and the Richmond Reproductive Freedom Project. Doors open at 1 p.m. and music starts at 1:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 ($25 the day of the show) and can be purchased via bramblypark.com.
Wednesday, Sept. 4
Dweezil Zappa at the National
Frank Zappa fans tend to be a little older these days, so they can probably better afford tickets to this “Rox (Postroph)y Return of the Son of ..” tour that will find Dweezil, his 54-year-old son, ripping on guitar alongside his always impressive, multi-talented band as they tackle the 50th anniversary of two Zappa albums “Apostrophe” and the live album “Roxy and Elsewhere.” For your dollar, you’ll be getting nearly three hours of prime Zappa, just like papa used to make. (It’s doubtful there will be many hungry freaks there though). Touring has gotten hella expensive, for many it’s the merch sales that make ends meet, but Dweezil isn’t in it for the money, he has always placed the legacy of his father’s music first and foremost; and he does a great job with it. 8 p.m.
Zorn with Serqet, Private Hell and Vigil at Cobra Cabana
Richmond has a reputation for shock rock thanks to Gwar, whose theatrics and longevity are a benchmark. Carrying the torch—really a coffin, which the band lugs around on tour for the singer to emerge from à la Screamin’ Jay Hawkins—is the band Zorn from Philadelphia. That city has its own stake in rock’n’roll showmanship credited to punk’s most formidable vampiric act throughout the ‘90s, Ink & Dagger (at one point even featuring Eric Wareheim of comedy monsters Tim & Erik). Anyway, Zorn has the songs to back up the schtick. Their nods to black metal and thrash with a bulldozer punk delivery are infectious. Joined by local death rockers, Serqet, hardcore metal punks, Private Hell, and chainmail thrashers, Vigil, it’s a mid-week banger. Doors are at 7 p.m. with a $10 cover. All ages!—Tim Abbondelo
