Thursday, March 20
Up Above My Head: A Tribute to Sister Rosetta Tharpe at The Hippodrome
Not enough people realize that gospel star and original R&B wailer Sister Rosetta Tharpe owned a home in Richmond’s Barton Heights neighborhood and lived here in the 1940s and 1950s (she was born in Arkansas); this was a powerful vocalist and innovative electric guitarist cited as a major influence by everyone from Little Richard, Chuck Berry and Elvis Presley to Johnny Cash and Bob Dylan. This event features local performers like Desiree Roots, Sam Reed, Quinton Jones, Sir Rome and Elizabeth Wise. Plus a special guitar painted with an image of Sister Rosetta Tharpe by great local artist, Noah Scalin, is being auctioned off. Read our full preview story here. 7 p.m. $25-$160. Tickets and info at shockoerecords.com/sisterrosettatharpe.
James River Film Festival presents “The Love Witch” at Studio Two Three
A lusciously groovy, colorful feminist film by Los Angeles auteur Anna Biller. Read our preview of the festival. Says Style’s editor: “[Biller’s] second feature stars Samantha Robinson as Elaine Parks, a seductive brunette with dark, steely eyes and a penchant for making men whimper and weep before dropping dead from her psychedelic love potions. No simple parody, ‘The Love Witch’ is a sly feminist film that explores the ‘sexy witch’ stereotype from the inside, embracing a (sociopathic) female gaze while brimming with ideas about how women negotiate gender politics and heartbreak.” 7:30 p.m. $8.
Friday, March 21
Kronos Quartet and Peni Candra Rini at Modlin Center’s Camp Concert Hall at University of Richmond
This should be cool for lovers of free chamber music; not only do you get to see a new, rejuvenated version of Kronos Quartet tackle Sun Ra and Terry Riley, but they’re also doing a set with the amazing Indonesian vocalist Peni Candra Rini, who many have seen and heard during her Fulbright time in Richmond, either at UR or VCU. 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $18-$40. Read our preview of the show.
Two picks from The James River Film Festival on Friday night:
Ann Arbor Film Festival tour at Grace St. Theater
America’s oldest avant-garde film festival stops in RVA on tour. 7 p.m. $8.
“Ornette: Made in America” at Grace St. Theater
Directed by the great Shirley Clark, a striking documentary portrait of the free jazz legend Ornette Coleman. 9 p.m. $8.
Beer and Banjos: Garden Variety String Band at The Camel
Looking for a free happy hour concert to chill. This one’s got banjos (Garden Variety String Band) and it’s got beers. Free to attend, but $10 for a table reservation. 6 to 8 p.m.
Saturday, March 22
Balinese Shadow Theater at Révéler Experiences
Despite translating a shadow puppetry, the Balinese Wayang Kulit is a musical, three dimensional, millennia-old blend of the mythic, the mystical, and the earthly humorous. While the intricately patterned shadows change shape on a screen like a black-and-white movie, the performance is viewed from either side. The puppets are made of sticks and leather, colorfully painted with jointed limbs. There is a puppet master—dalang—and two assistants who enact the story with movement and a wide variety of voices. This weekend’s show will feature a four-piece gamelan musical group who provide a soundtrack defining atmosphere and emotion.This rare opportunity for Richmond audiences is a byproduct of the Peni Candra Rini with Kronos Quartet performance at the Modlin Center on Friday; a shadow play backdrop is part of that performance. Candra Rini, along with members of UR-based Gamelan Raga Kusuma and Rumput, will provide the music on Saturday for this shadow puppetry. The amazingly talented traditional Balinese artist Sudarta Guisi will be the shadow master. Also, there will be a hands-on opportunity after the show where audience members of all ages can try their hand at one of the oldest continuing theatrical forms in the world. 3 p.m. Tickets are $10.—Peter McElhinney
James River Film Festival presents Gary Lucas (Capt. Beefheart) performs a live soundtrack to Tod Browning’s “Freaks” at the Byrd Theatre
Local audiences may remember the great guitarist and composer Gary Lucas (of Captain Beefheart and Jeff Buckley fame) who will be returning to Richmond to perform a live score to the controversial 1932 black-and-white film, “Freaks.” Admission is $12 or two for $20. Get a JRFF t-shirt for only $15 at festival events and help support local indie cinema.
Logan Ledger at Reveler Experiences
A local radio DJ from WDCE told us this would be a great show if you’re a fan of Sturgill Simpson or Merle Haggard. Raised in the Bay Area and based out of Nashville for years now, Ledger grew up loving country rock folks like The Byrds’ Clarence White; and later had T Bone Burnett produce his debut. His latest, “Golden State,” came out in 2023 on Rounder Records and was helmed by Shooter Jennings. No Depression says its “suffused with elegant melancholy,” which sounds about right. $18 in advance, $23 at the door. Doors at 7 p.m. and show at 8 p.m. General admission.
Richmond Symphony Presents Mozart and Mahler feat. Joe Jaxson at Carpenter Theater
Symphonies thrive on familiar magnum opus compositions. After previously hearing Symphony Artistic Director Valentina Peleggi interpret Mahler’s heroic First and transcendent Second Symphonies, local classical audiences are going to want to hear how she transforms his concise and tender Fourth. Mozart’s Haffner Symphony is one of the composer’s greatest works. But before that, they will experience the world debut of Staunton-raised Joe Jaxson’s “Born in the Iron Grip,” a piece inspired by Richmond tennis icon Arthur Ashe. The work was commissioned as part of the Symphony’s championship of new voices. Read our preview story here. The Richmond Symphony plays Mozart, Mahler, and Jaxson on Saturday, March 22 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, March 23 at 3 p.m. (free for audience members 18 and under). Tickets range up to $86.
OUT OF TOWN PICK: Sun Ra Arkestra and Yo La Tengo at the Howard Theater in Washington, DC
In what should be a preview of their upcoming show at the great Big Ears Fest in downtown Knoxville, the interstellar jazz pioneers, Sun Ra Arkestra, perform with the veteran indie rock band Yo La Tengo, who have been known to cover Sun Ra tunes like “Dreaming” and “Nuclear War.” Should be just as billed: “One cosmic night.” UPDATE: SOLD OUT. 8 p.m.
Wine tasting festival at Perkinson Center for the Arts and Education (Chester)
Hanging in Chester this weekend and need wine? Presented by the Kiwanis Club of Chester, five of Virginia’s most popular wineries are participating. Tickets are $25. Noon to 5 p.m. The Perkinson Center for the Arts and Education is located at 11810 Centre St. in Chester.
Sunday, March 23
Livestream of 250th anniversary of Patrick Henry’s “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death” at St. John’s Church
On March 23, 1775—yep that’s 250 years ago on Sunday—Patrick Henry gave his famous impassioned bark “Give me liberty of give me death!” (insert your favorite cute-angry emoji) at St. John’s Church right here in Richmond. It’s a catchy phrase uttered by a homeschooled orator whose words have inspired all kinds of folks on the right and left; Christian conservatives loved his deep religious fervor. Now you can feel that very same passion from your sofa by tuning into a livestream at VA250.org at 1:30 p.m. “and experience the spirit that founded a nation, in the place and time where it all began.” And it’s all just a prelude to the next event highlight:
VPM presents a special preview of PBS’ “The American Revolution” with Ken Burns at Altria Theater
The man dubbed “America’s storyteller” comes to the Altria Theater for a screening event and panel discussion for his next historical documentary film, “The American Revolution,” co-directed by Sarah Botstein and David Schmidt. Nearly ten years in the making, this six-part, 12-hour film will engage the voice talents of Coyote, Morgan Freeman, Paul Giamatti, Laura Linney, David Oyelowo, Jeff Daniels, Wendell Pierce, Liev Schreiber and Meryl Streep, among others. We spoke with Ken Burns last week, read our interview here. VPM’s screening event and panel discussion for “The American Revolution” with directors Ken Burns and Sarah Botstein will take place at 7 p.m. on Sunday, March 23 at the Altria Theater, 6 N. Laurel St. The documentary will begin airing on PBS on Nov. 16. For more information, visit vpm.org.
James River Film Festival presents “A History of Animated TV Commercials” at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts’ Reynolds Lecture Hall
An hour-long overview of American animated television commercials from 1948 through the 1980s curated by Richmond-based animator and artist Janet Scagnelli, this film will be screened at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts this Sunday for the first time in 26 years as part of the James River Film Festival at 3:30 p.m. $8 to the public, $5 for VMFA members. For more information, visit jamesriverfilm.org. Check out our feature by Rich Griset.
Monday, March 24
Sonic Dustbowl Vol. XI with Horsegirl, Free Range, Good Flying Birds, Keep and Hypochondriac at The Warehouse
Like The Raincoats or Liliput? This trio of talented ladies from New York by way of Chicago has a new album on Matador that is getting critical raves. Check it, read our interview with member Nora Cheng. Doors are at 7 p.m. and cost $18 advance and $20 at the door.
