Friday, May 19
Road to Glory: WBC international super-weight champion Ermal “The Sniper” Hadribeaj vs. Leonardo di Stefano Ruiz at The Renaissance Room
Well, you don’t see this every weekend. Liz Cane, managing promoter of River City Promotions, has lined up Richmond’s first WBC title fight, an event that will feature eight total bouts (seven undercards and one main event). Eric Ash and Marc Cheatham will be commentators. Cane has another fight scheduled for July. Tickets are available at www.rivercityboxing.com.
Dominion Riverrock at Brown’s Island (runs through Sunday, May 22)
A free outdoor sports and music festival brought to you by Dominion Energy. Bands include: The National Reserve and Kitchen Dwellers (Friday), Willie DE, Fight Club, Pharaoh Sistare, and Erin and the Wildfire, Sierra Hull, and Neil Francis (Saturday), and Justin Golden, Cosmic Collective, 49 Winchester (Sunday). Admission is free but competition fees range $20 – $140. For more information, visit riverrockrva.com.
Legendary Shack Shakers with Dexter Romweber and Viva Le Vox at Richmond Music Hall at Capital Alehouse
Kentucky’s Legendary Shack Shakers bring their winning mix of raw country, boogie-woogie and rockabilly. Also on the bill, a Richmond favorite, roots guitarist Dex Romweber (Flat Duo Jets) from Chapel Hill and the bluesy stomp of Viva Le Vox from Lake Worth, Fla. Doors at 7 p.m. $20.
Saturday, May 20
Richmond Flying Squirrels vrs. Akron RubberDucks at The Diamond
It’s that time of year when minor league baseball games just feel right. Richmond’s Flying Squirrels host the Ducks in a tightly contested division race. Get out to the ballpark, there will be postgame fireworks to accompany VCU Night this Saturday, when VCU men’s basketball players will be in attendance with Rodney the Ram and the coveted A10 trophy. First pitch goes out at 6:05 p.m. with gates at 5 p.m.
Note: At the following day game, Sunday against the very same Ducks, Friendship Circle of Virginia hosts the second annual Inclusion Day at the Diamond – highlighting disability inclusion and mental health. Sunday’s game starts at 1:35 p.m. For more information on Squirrels games and tickets, visit their website.
Ett Etko, System Exclusive, Films on Song at Afterglow Coffee
The atmospheric, post rock groove of Richmond’s Ett Etko featuring Kenneth Close (Positive No) on guitars and synths, Michael Harl on bass and vocals, and Keith Renna on drums, will be joined by System Exclusive from Pasadena, Ca., and Charlottesville’s Films on Song. Doors at 7:30 p.m. and Films on Song starts at 8 p.m. $10. Afterglow Coffee is located at 1719 Summit Ave. in Scott’s Addition.
Sunday, May 21
Acid Mothers Temple w/ST 37 and Buck Gooter at Richmond Music Hall
Looking for a different kind of religious experience this Sunday? Then check out this noisy bill featuring Japanese rockers, Acid Mothers Temple and the Melting Paraiso U.F.O., known since 1995 for a psychedelic punch bowl of melt-your-mind, fried space rock and doomy chanting that draws inspiration from bands like Hawkwind, Amon Düül II and Can. Also on the bill: Austin’s ST 37 with more fuzzy, experimental punk (think 13th Floor Elevators-meets-the-Buttholes) and don’t miss the existential, dogfood-whiff dread of Harrisonburg industrial duo, Buck Gooter, who bring the “ghost-motivated electronic rock” to flame-broil your hungry heart on a Little Grill. Doors at 7 p.m. and show starts at 8 p.m. $16.
