Soulful-funky-rockin’-jazzy jammers Pennyshaker have a new CD out recorded with Jonathan DeMaio at Speed Of Sound Studios. Since forming in 2001, these guys (and girl) have garnered a lot of praise, including the Recording Academy’s Demo Review Contest, numerous Track of the Day accolades from independent music Web site/showplace GarageBand.com and, most recently, the John Lennon Songwriting Contest in the R&B genre, snagging a $1,000 prize. See ’em now so you can be one of those people saying you saw them when.
Remember in March when we told you about heavy-rock outfit Culdera? Well, Culdera wasted no time. They’ve been playing almost nonstop in front of a growing fan base. Oh yeah, they were also chosen as one of two local finalists to play the 2005 Chili Cook-Off with another band we tipped you to, metalheads Covet The Knife.
The Haymaker Festival is coming May 20-21. This yearly festival held in Spotsylvania always draws huge crowds to camp, play and listen to lots and lots of music. While the national talent will be there, this may be the single best place to catch Virginia acts like guitar virtuosos Keller Williams and Larry Keel (together!); bass guitar innovator Victor Wooten; Charlottesville jam pioneers Indecision; the C-ville/Richmond bluegrass/jug-punk connection that is King Wilkie, Jackass Flats, Hackensaw Boys and Special Ed & The Shortbus; and everything Richmond from free-form jazz to funk and pop to reggae with DJ Williams Projekt, Modern Groove Syndicate, McLaws Drive, The Rising Sons, Oregon Hill Funk All-Stars and Moossa. Check out the mission statement (a good cause!) and full lineup at www.haymaker.net.
Speaking of Haymaker, there once was a highly regarded band of that name whose creative force split to front power-pop/mod/post-punk outfit Heath Haynes and The Crying Shames. That looks to have been a good move, as Double H takes his bandmates across the pond to play a few gigs in England. Curiously enough, the first date is in Richmond-on-Thames May 24. Still more curiously, on the 27th they play Town Hall in Bakewell, North Derbyshire, famous as the place where pudding was (accidentally) invented. This band of accomplished musicians (from the Janet Martin Band, Spike the Dog and the Van Halen tribute band Van Huesen, to name but a few) are especially excited to play London on the 25th and two shows at the International Pop Overthrow Festival at the legendary Cavern Club in Liverpool, where the Beatles got their start (www.heathhaynes.com).
With a name taken from a South American tree, Jubeus has just played opening slots for Everclear and The Sugar Hill Gang at Longwood University in Farmville and is gearing up for more shows in and around the Richmond area. The five-piece jam-friendly band is debuting new material at its shows at Beach Street USA on Atlantic Avenue in Virginia Beach. The band’s full-length CD, “Two Tone Circles,” was produced by Stewart Meyers of the recently reunited Agents of Good Roots. You can catch the Agents live, May 27, at Friday Cheers on Brown’s Island. — compiled by Jeff Sadler, Alyssa Holtgrewe and Jay Smack of Studio B.
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