June 20 – June 25

We got Digable Planets at Friday Cheers, Jake Xerxes Fussell and Os Mutantes shows at Richmond Music Hall, plus more

Thursday, June 20

Cozy Ol’ Brewgrass Festival at Riverside Outfitters

Keep Virginia Cozy presents this food and music fest at the newly renovated 14th Street space of Riverside Outfitters. Music by Andrew Alli and Josh Smalls. $35 gets you entry plus two beers, kombucha and food will be sold separately. 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. 325 S. 14 St.

 

Friday, June 21

 

 

Friday Cheers presents Digable Planets with Tre.Charles at Brown’s Island

We caught Digable Planets at the well-run (and pleasantly walkable) Hopscotch Music Fest in Raleigh last year, and they didn’t seem to have lost a step since their late-1980s to early-1990s heyday. The trio of “Butterfly” Butler, “Ladybug” Mecca, and “Doodlebug” Irving are known for their slick and brilliant use of live jazz and funk instrumentation, inspired by the Native Tongues collective of socially conscious/jazz-inflected hip-hop that included De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, and the Jungle Brothers. Which is to say, there should be plenty of dancing going on at Brown’s Island this Friday; some local fans may not have seen the group since they played Flood Zone in the way back machine. The show will be opened in a more contemplative vein by former Richmonder (now Duham-based) Tre. Charles. You can read our preview for more about his music. Runs from 6 to 9:30 p.m. $10 in advance, $15 at the gate.

 

John D’Earth at Reveler, December, 2023. Photo by Peter McElhinney

John D’earth at Révéler

One of the pivotal events in area jazz history was the mid-1980s relocation of trumpeter John D’earth from the center of the music universe in New York City to Charlottesville. By that time, he had built a stellar reputation as a rising young player with guitarist Emily Remler, the cutting-edge ensembles of drummer Bob Moses, and the internationally-renowned George Gruntz Concert Big Band. Since then, he has played a foundational role as performer, educator, and example to generations of musicians who built the local scene. His bright, melodic, concise playing has accompanied everyone from Miles Davis and Buddy Rich to Bruce Hornsby and Dave Matthews, and his long-running Thursday night gigs at Miller’s in the Charlotteville downtown mall are a nexus for the best players in the area. That magic should translate ideally to the multicolored immersive quirkiness of Révéler Experiences.  D’earth will play two 70-minute sets at 8 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Tickets are $15-25. All seating is reserved.—Peter McElhinney

Saturday, June 22

Juneteenth at Hardywood Richmond

Powered by Unlocking RVA, this event features beer, music, art and food with performances by Tennishu at 1 p.m. and Corey El and the Fam at 4 p.m. Celebrate the release of Black is Beautiful Vol. 2. Poetry readings, a live art walk and a silent disco also on tap. Original event artwork by Ron Stokes. Family friendly. Runs from noon to 9 p.m.

 

Jake Fussell photographed at his home in Durham, North Carolina.

Jake Xerxes Fussell with The Great Beforetimes at Richmond Music Hall at Capital Ale House

If you stopped by Richmond Music Hall last summer to see North Carolinian folk singer and guitarist Jake Xerxes Fussell and enjoyed yourself, you’re in luck: He’ll be returning on Saturday to the same spot, with the same preternatural gift for making bygone story songs feel fresh thanks to the radiant warmth of his baritone vocals and fingerstyle Telecaster work. New this time? He’s quickly approaching the Friday, July 12 release date for his next album, “When I’m Called.” His first recording for Fat Possum Records is being billed as his most richly constructed album to date, with graceful additions of piano and strings, as well as studio contributions from kindred spirits like Joan Shelley, James Elkington and Blake Mills. Richmond-based folk group the Great Beforetimes will also perform. Doors open at 7 p.m. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased at thebroadberry.com.—Davy Jones

 

Os Mutantes

Monday, June 24

Os Mutantes at Richmond Music Hall at Capital Alehouse

 Formed in the mid-sixties, the current edition of Os Mutantes (“The Mutants”) has evolved without losing connection to their countercultural roots. They are survivors from a literally dangerous era in Brazil, when their anti-establishment, psychedelic-infused “Tropicalia” style challenged a repressive military dictatorship not averse to expressing criticism through torture and exile. Originally a trio, the group has gone through multiple personnel changes over the decades with the current iteration anchored by guitarist and founding member Sérgio Dias Baptista. Now based in Las Vegas, the current version of the band, as on their 2020 album, the vaguely science fiction-themed “Zzyzx,” is centered on English lyrics rather than Portuguese. There is something both lost and gained in the translation, but the attitude is what shines through. Six decades into its career, the band retains a singular rock-and-roll blend of social consciousness and deep weirdness. Doors are at 7 p.m. Tickets are $30 and available here.Peter McElhinney

 

 

 

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