Timothy Bailey & The Humans at Ashland Coffee and Tea
Bailey has been in and out of the Richmond music scene over the last decade or so, showing up in bands like Schwa and Fashion Central. After a long break from the limelight, he’s returned to his singing and songwriting, recruiting such Humans as John Gotschalk, keyboardist for NRG Krysys, and Johnnie Hott, drummer for House of Freaks and leader of The Piedmont Souprize. Bailey’s experiences have given his pop-folk sound a haunted edge, a brooding thing that’s balanced by The Humans’ lightness of touch on the instruments. They play Ashland Friday, July 14, at 8 p.m. $5. 798-1702.
The Hickories at Poe’s Pub
Harmonizing female vocalists, a waltz or two, some “la la la’s”: sounds like a sure recipe for one o’ them “feel-good” bands. Luckily, The Hickories turn away from the sweetness toward a pedal-steel twang that drops those voices right into country. There are some folk notes, some surprising bursts of guitar-driven rock, and it all mixes up to go down real smooth and not too sweet. The Hickories play Poe’s Thursday, July 13, at 9:30 p.m. $5. 648-2120.
Big Head Todd & the Monsters at Innsbrook
In many ways, Todd was the soundtrack to college drinking for people ages 27-35, to be very unscientific about it. One reason is the general mellowness emanating from the band’s blues-pop sound, the sing-along quotient. Another is that this sound was at its best live, which meant that all that college touring through the ’90s earned a lot of fans. This is what you might call one o’ them “feel-good” bands, and it’s coming to Innsbrook After Hours to help you relive some of those lost memories Wednesday, July 12, with Toad the Wet Sprocket, at 6:30 p.m. $10-$30. Call 794-6700 or visit www.innsbrookafterhours.com.
Legend Celtic and Beer Festival
Practically everyone knows that the ancient Celtic peoples have had a long and proud association with beer, which is probably why the folks at Legend Brewing Company decided to spend two days honoring that partnership. Tom Lenehan, the St. Andrew’s Pipe and Drum, Poisoned Dwarf and some of the other bands that tend to appear during St. Patrick’s Day congregate at the Meadow at the Boulders, July 15-16, noon-7 p.m. There they are joined by little friends from 50 microbrews around the country, and the bonds of friendship are renewed all around. $20-$25. 232-3446. S
