Thursday, Feb.26

“Train Dreams” at The Byrd Theatre

Based on the novela by Denis Johnson, this period drama film stars Joel Edgerton and Felicity Jones and is nominated for Best Picture Oscar this year. 7 p.m. $9.

Pay Rent Brass Band and Piranha Rama at Gallery5

Pay Rent plays Mega Man 3 album release. 7 to 11 p.m. $12 in advance, $15 at the door.

Friday, Feb. 27

Dulce Sloan at The Tin Pan

Stand-up comedian and actress Dulce Sloan is a former senior correspondent and rotating host of “The Daily Show” on Comedy Central. Tickets were selling fast according to organizers. 8 p.m. $43.17

“Hamnet” at The Byrd Theatre

Period drama directed by Chloe Zhao and starring the brilliant Irish actress Jessie Buckley as Anne Hathaway, who is coping with the death of her son with William Shakespeare (played by Paul Mescal). 7 p.m. $9.

Lung with Gull and Book of Wyrms at Fuzzy Cactus 

It’s understandable if you don’t believe what you’re actually hearing from these intrepid noisemakers. Listening to Gull, you’d think such seismic sound and movement must come from more bodies than Nate Rappole’s one-man band lets on. And in the case of Lung, you’d never guess such a wild barrage of riffs and plodding rhythms are produced by a mere few drums and single cello. But as the saying goes: ‘It’s not what you play, but how you play it.’ Who is doing the playing has a lot to do with it, too. Lung’s vocalist and sole shredder, Kate Wakefield, is a classically trained opera singer and cellist (when not touring with Kim Deal from The Breeders.) Seasoned D.I.Y road warriors, the Lung duo is on tour from Cincinnati to promote its fifth album, “The Swankeeper,” their first for Richmond-spawned Feel It Records, and an epic in both production and scope.

Richmond concertgoers have likely caught a Gull set before, whether at a venue or walking down the street. Rappole is capable of captivating a crowd in any setting from Carytown to Kenya, Thailand and even Laos. Before the end of the year, Gull will share the documentary and score from his most recent international touring adventures for the ongoing “Street Muse” project. Also in the works are his first new full-length album since 2020’s “Relative Stranger,” and a pair of collaborations with Chattanooga, Tennessee’s Heavy Comforter and local modular synth artist Elliptical Path. Meanwhile, you can check out his four-track EP “Zugunruhe” from last year. Tickets are $10. Door time is 9 p.m. and entry 21 and up.—Tim Abbondelo

Carmen Ann and the Low Down Gamblers at Northside Grille

Five-member country rock, honky tonk and roots Americana. 8:30 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 28

World Wildlife Day at The Robins Center (Maymont)

Come out and connect to local wildlife with animal feedings, games, crafts and animal keeper talks. The activities are included in regular admission to the Robins Nature Center ($10 for adults, $8 for children ages 16 and under, and free for Maymont members and anyone with a SNAP/EBT card. All proceeds help Maymont care for its animals, gardens and historic collections. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Stay for a film screening in partnership with the RVA Environmental Film Festival at 2:30 p.m (free). For more: https://maymont.org/what-to-see/nature-center/

Shadowgrass at The Broadberry

Founded in 2014 at the Grayson County Fiddler’s Convention in Elk Creek, Va., Shadowgrass is a rising young progressive bluegrass band known for blending the traditional and the modern. Doors at 7 p.m. and show at 8 p.m.

“The Secret Agent” at The Byrd Theatre

Neo-noir historical political thriller set in 1970s Brazil and one of the best reviewed movies of the year, starring Wagner Moura. Read our review here. 7 p.m. $9.

Richmond Symphony presents Romeo and Juliet, Bolero and more: Love Stories at Dominion Energy Center’s Carpenter Theatre

For those who forgot doing anything special on Valentine’s Day, this weekend’s Richmond Symphony concert provides a second chance. The classical program focuses on works associated with romance. For the main piece, Tchaikovsky’s “Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture,” the connection is overt. The Shakespearian tragedy about young love had already been made into an opera by Berlioz when Tchaikovsky composed his version. The structure includes sections evoking Friar Lawrence, the lover’s sympathetic ally and enabler, the long-running feud between their violent Venetia, and a beautiful theme capturing the couple’s passion iconically enough to be families a suite quote everywhere from Tommy Dorsey’s hit “Our Love” to “Ren and Stimpy.” The program also includes Damien-Geter’s suite from his “Loving vs. Virginia,” an opera recounting the end of laws prohibiting interracial marriage. Respighi’s “Feste Romane (Roman Festivals)” is a tryptic of tone poems. A counterpart to his more famous “Fountains of Rome.” It will be revealing to see what Artistic Director Valentina Peleggi does with the piece. A transformation figure for the Symphony, her attention to detail and deep understanding of the works has proven transformational and transcendent time and again. The program closes with Ravel’s “Bolero.” Building from a whispery snare rhythm to a crashing finale, the piece enjoyed a ’70s spike in popularity after actress Bo Derek, the numerical inspiration in the Dudley Moore comedy “10,” described the piece as “the most descriptive sex music ever written.” Starts at 8 p.m. on Saturday; 3 p.m. on Sunday, March 1. Tickets are $40-$84.  Note: There is an introductory talk one hour before the performance.—Peter McElhinney

Rumors ATL: A Fleetwood Mac Tribute at The National

We live in the time of tribute bands who recreate the rock sounds of yesterday, back before cellphones, computers and our other countless other digital distractions turned us into addicted lumps of flesh with digital umbilical cords. But people will still go out to drink and dance if the music’s right; and this tribute band from Atlanta, Ga. is known for performing an acclaimed tribute to Fleetwood Mac, the band whose cocaine-fueled soft hits still play nonstop on the radio because a nice chunk of them were memorable. Doors at 7 p.m.

Sunday, March 1

Fifth annual 2026 RVA Sports Awards at Altria Theater

Presented by Colonial Downs and Rosie’s Gaming Emporium, celebrate athletic excellence, community pride and RVA. Hosted by Richmond Region Tourism Foundation, includes “local legends to rising stars, [coming] together for one unforgettable night of energy, excellence, and inspiration.” Doors open at 2:30 p.m. Starts at 3:45 p.m.

Monday, March 2

Michael Shannon and Jason Narducy and friends (with special guest Bobcat Goldthwait) at The National

The Oscar-nominated film and stage actor Michael Shannon (“Shape of Water,” “Bug,” “The Missing Person”) doesn’t so much sound exactly like lead singer Michael Stipe, as he embodies the spirit of the R.E.M. frontman. Together with his friend, guitarist Jason Narducy (Bob Mould, Superchunk, Sunny Day Real Estate), the pair is returning to the National to play songs by Athens, Georgia’s greatest cultural export. This time they’ll be celebrating the 40th anniversary of R.E.M.’s fourth album, “Life’s Rich Pageant” (1986). If you like R.E.M., this is about as close as you’re going to get to reunion, it seems like. “Life’s Rich Pageant” was R.E.M.’s first gold record (with the hit “Fall On Me”) and also marked a different, harder rock sound with more overtly political songs. With R.E.M.’s blessing, Shannon and Narducy, alongside Jon Wurster (drums), John Stirratt (bass), Dag Juhlin (guitar), and Vijay Tellis-Nayak (keyboards), will be opening with the album in sequence, followed by deep cuts from R.E.M.’s catalog. If you’re a fan, it’s always a pretty good time to see these guys. Also as an added bonus, comedian/actor/director Bobcat Goldthwait (yes, that guy from the ’80s) will be opening the show. —Brent Baldwin

Tuesday, March 3

Tipa Tipo and Miramar at Révéler Experiences

Peruvian trio Tipa Tipo positions itself as fusing “the spirit of ’70s soft rock and disco with Latin rhythms to create their fresh take on tropical yacht rock en Espanol.”  This is a description charming enough to confuse North American audiences unaware of a rich tradition of South American music that mixes social commentary with sophisticated hook laden melodies and dance rhythms. The base ingredient here is cumbia, a family of musical traditions mixing indigenous and African elements. It has the same kind of appeal to creative young musicians that the blues did to the founding 1960s generation of UK/US rock musicians. The fluid bass and hypnotic backbeat of disco often form the architecture for close harmonies and exotic instrumentals. Tipa Tipo’s 2024 debut album “Cintas” features songs ranging from introspection to commentary — much of which will be a mystery to a monolingual audience. The band’s charm, however, comes through like a cool breeze over hot sand. Richmond’s breakout bolero group Miramar opens. The show, like so many of the great American-but-not-U.S. concerts, is being presented by DIY independent international music presenter Secret Planet Richmond, the southern tip of the Brooklyn/DC/Richmond Secret Planet axis. Takes place from 7- 9:30 p.m. Admission is $15  Doors and early specials at 5 p.m.—Peter McElhinney

“Beauty and The Beast: The Musical” at Altria Theater (through March 8)

Read our preview feature by Rich Griset. Broadway in Richmond’s “Beauty and the Beast” plays March 3-8 at the Altria Theater, 6 N. Laurel St. For more information visit beautyandthebeastthemusical.com.

Prison Affair with D. Sablu and Gusher at The Camel

Started as a home recording project for a dumb gag in 2018, Barcelona’s egg punk revivalists, Prison Affair, adapted their lo-fi sound for the stage and never looked back. Several comprehensive North American tours and 182,000 views of their first demo on Youtube later, and the trio still hasn’t released an album. The crowds go wild, still, as the band’s successive demos stack up. This is fun, energetic music, readymade for a mosh-pit-prone live setting, if not for the speed and dizzying array of heavy effects and bent-to-heck and squealing barrage of notes at play, like an 8-bit rendered Chuck Berry.

D. Sablu, from New Orleans, is the crossover hardcore-thrash project of David Sabludowsky, and a worthy yin to Prison Affair’s yang, for this tour. By comparison, local opener Gusher delivers at a glacial pace, which is apt for the icy cynicism of their synth-punk crunch. Presented by Underground Orchard. Doors are at 7 p.m. and cost $20. All ages welcome.—T.A.

Wednesday, March 4

Virginia Hip-Hop Foundation’s Women in Hip-Hop conversation at the Virginia Museum of History and Culture

Hip-hop is often perceived as a male-dominated industry, but there’s no denying the significant impact women have had on the genre’s history. To celebrate women’s history month, the Virginia Hip-Hop Foundation will present an interactive conversation about the influences, experiences and impacts women from Virginia have had in hip-hop. Special guests include legendary rapper, singer and actress, The Lady of Rage, recording artist Farrah Fawx, radio pioneer Mikki Spencer, music industry veteran June Jones, artist Justice R., and Dr. KáLyn Coghill, an interdisciplinary scholar, award-winning activist and educator. This event is part of the foundation’s mission to showcase Virginia’s global influence on hip-hop culture through cultural talks, educational programming, and community engagement. 6-8 p.m. Tickets are $10-$12 and can be purchased here.—Andrew Cothern

“The Barefoot Followers of Sweet Potato Grace” with author Megan Okonsky and Hayden Casey at Fountain Bookstore

According to organizers, “Megan Okonsky is a ghostwriter, novelist, and murder mystery party host” while “Hayden Casey (he/him) is a writer and musician who lives and teaches in Phoenix, AZ.” 6 p.m. For more info, visit their website. Visit the Fountain Bookstore website for more information.