November

seriously don't have the time to do write ups for these shows
so many damn exams to study for
still click on the links and go to some concerts
(((really though - november is kind of a flatline month for shows)))


(11-03) Karl Blau / LAKE / The Great White Jenkins @ The Camel


(11-11) CHINESE UNDERGROUND INVASION TOUR!: Carsick Cars / P.K.14 / Xiao He / White @ The Triple (21+)


(11-13) Shonen Knife / Jeff The Brotherhodd / Hot Lava / Hex Machine @ Plaza Duckpin Bowl


(11-14) Neil Hamburger @ The Southern (CVILLE)


(11-27) Bowerbirds / Birdlips @ The Southern (CVILLE)

Vivian Girls / The Super Vacations / Invisible Hand @ Outback Lodge (10-28)

Show started off with a set from Invisible Hand. For years I have heard this bands name thrown around town, always hearing talk about how they where the best band right now in Charlottesville. Somehow or another I missed actually seeing them play (even though I had seen a connected group of theirs "Articulate Chewbacca" play who I was quite impressed by when they opened for Sunburned Hand Of The Man). Their set was full of very catchy modern rock tunes being sadly mushed by an amp that would randomly squeak (not a good lo-fi squeak - i mean l outback's speakers are probably starting to fall apart). All in all a real fun set, and hopefully The Invisible Hand will be playing my house sometime in November (more details on that once I get this whole house show thing in order)

All I had really heard about The Super Vacations before they played was that they had the drummer from Wavves. Wasn't necessarily sure what that meant about this bands music (like don't get me wrong Wavves is cool and all, but i'm gonna assume the drummer didn't have much influence in the record material from that project). Their set ended up being in the same vein of a lot of these lo-fi rock groups right now, making songs that seem to have these surfer pop mentalities in their vision. The set was fun in all but maybe its juts me but i'm starting to get a little bored about writing about this whole Lo-Fi movement (the music is good but their is just only so much I can say)

Vivian Girls came on shortly after. Their studio material has been some of the most satisfying stuff in the last couple years to come out. The combination of 60's girl group melodies being blended with punk injected rock is something that is so simple - so fun - so awesome. I was however just not sure what their live show would bring to the table (I wasn't thinking it was gonna be awful but i just had no clue what to expect). My typical worrisome tendencies where however quite unnecessarily because their set was a total blast. No unnecessary tricks, no fancy gimmicks, just a straight up real fun polished rock set. The Vivian Girls are defiantly a band that has found their place in the underground scene, and will hopefully spread their unique musical bug to more eager music fans.

Mount Eerie / Tara Jane O'Neil / No Kids / Stephen Steinbrink @ UVA Chapel (10-23-09)

SHOW WAS FUN /// FIERCE
SHOW FEATURED MOUNT EERIE WITH SWINE FLU
UVA CHAPEL IS MY DICK

-andy

BD

BEST

Real Estate / Andrew Cedermark @ The Southern (10-15-09)

to sick to review this show (bedridden sick style)
show was solid
lo-fi reverb all around
now im going back to bed

Monotonix / Brainworms / Turbo Fruits @ Plaza Duckpin Bowl (10-14-09)

Turbo Fruits started off the night. They put on a set of fun southern garage rock sounds. Was a chill opening act set for sure. Nothing that really blew my mind, but these guys seem to be on track with making some real solid rock music.

Brainworms where next on the bill. Real sweet post hardcore from Richmond. Lots of aggressive vocal and guitars mixed with on again of again moshing. These guys are really one of the more interesting group in town right now (espically with the decline of noise music in RVA) Could really see this band breaking out into some from of popularity (whatever that actually means now in days)

Now you could easily write a review about how a Monotonix show is ridiculous, how they drum surf, how they just cant stay still, and how they do the most over the top things at shows (like pour beers on their drum kit / themselves - or just catch their drum on fire). All of these things are fun antics, but after already writing a review about the mayhem of their shows a year ago when they played at Gallery 5 - I really think a more interesting question lingers. What is Monotonix's place in rock music.

They are most definitely a group that is over the top. Their antics have most definitely gotten them the label of being a band for hipsters - a generation that stands for nothing but things that sick out against the norms. However their is something more interesting going on if you look past these amusing orchestrated tricks. Monotonix at is a core is a band that is making some of the most interesting primal rock music around. Music that makes you want to fuck some shit up.

Last night show was sadly the least interesting of the times I have seen them. Maybe it was the fact that I have already seen them twice before, or maybe its the fact that I was beyond acceptable sickness to go out to a concert, but something felt off during the show. Their was still some great moments during the show, that displayed the much talked about charm of Monotonix 100%. However there was an air of drunk violence that I just wasn't in the mood for last night. Monotonix's are a group that I will probably see again, and it seemed like almost everyone in the venue was having a fantastic rime, and hell I enjoyed myself to. It was just not the mega-fuck of a show that I was hoping for that night. Still one of hell of a night

photo courtesy of PJ Sykes

Octoberz

Damn there are a lot of sweet shows going on in Charlottesville this month // Richmond is still fly though - don't worry


(10-09) tUnE - yArDs / Nelly Kate / Princeton @ Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar (((charlottesville)))
tUnE - yArDs is easily one of my favirote discovery of this year. Brillant basement ukulele jams that rattle and hit you in just all the right places. Nelly Kate is also on the bill, real sweet Julianna Barwick bedroom like jams is how this girl rolls (hopefully Julianna Barwick isn't to obscure a reference point). If your in cville this show is mandatory to attend // damn the tea house has gotten fly again


(10-09 - 10-11) Richmond Folk Festival @ Brown Island (Downtown Richmond)
www.richmondfolkfestival.org/ (its free / its fun / check it out)


(10-10) Titus Andronicus / The So So Glos (((charlottesville)))
Ill be frank / both times ive seen Titus Andronicus live I have felt kind of disappointed. It wasn't that both shows were necessarily bad performances - there was just no energy in the crowd what so ever at all. However their album last year The Airing Of Grivences was one of the best reocrds of 08. So basically even with the disapointing live shows / I still oddly put faith in this bands live show (supposedly they put on some kick ass live shows - i haven't scene any of them myself). The So So Glos round up the bill and they seem to fit the bill quite nicley. Real fun energetic garage rock. Hopefully this time the show will be a good rowdy rock show


(10-12) Phosphorescent @ TBD (((charlottesville)))
Since Is Venue has just recently shut its doors, this show honestly might not be happening anymore. Which is really quite a shame because Phosphorescent makes some awesome modern folk-country hybrid jams. Hopefully the shows find a new home (Outback Lodge? // Fry Spring's Beach Club perhaps?)

SHOW HAS BEEN MOVED TO THE TEA HOUSE


(10-14) Monotonix / Turbo Fruits / Brainworms @ Plaza Duckpin Bowl
BEST LIVE BANDS OF ALL TIME. Seen this band twice before and each time it has ended with my beaten - tierd - covered in Israeli sweat - and yet totally satisfied. Turbo Fruits sound like intereting southern garage rock - but I don't know much about them yet. Brainworms finishes the bill. They are easily of the best rock bands in Richmond right now - real fun energetic sets is what these guys deliver. STRAIGHT UP YOU BETTER ATTEND THIS SHOW RICHMOND PEOPLE


(10-15) Real Estate / Andrew Cedermark @ The Southern (((charlottesville)))
Another surf styled lo-fi rock group - damn there are so many of these bands coming out right now. You could complain about the over abundance output this style of music has had, but honestly this whole lo-fi thing seems to be the most organic thing happening with rock at this moment. Real Estate are New Jersey lo-fi associated with Ducktails and Titus Andronicus I do believe // Andrew Cedermark rounds up the bill. Ex member of Titus Andronicus who now resides in Charlottesville. Dreamy lo-fi rock is what this guy does (BIG SHOCK).


(10-22) Dark Meat / Stephen Steinbrink @ Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar (((charlottesville)))
Southern psychedlic folk rock is back in ville. Last time Dark Meat played it was a re-dick throw around. Real happy to see that the tea house has already booked this guys for another show. Stephen Stinkbrink fills up the bill / puts on a modern age singer song writer folk thing, haven't listened to him much but i've heard extraordinary hype from other people about this guy


(10-23) Mount Eerie / No Kids /Tara Jane O'Neil / Stephen Steinbrink @ UVA Chapel (((charlottesville)))
King of raw dazed out campfire folk music // if you haven't heard of this guy - not sure how you dropped the ball on it but check him out pronto. Sounds like this tour is going to be accompanied by a full band - which should really be able to present the metal esthetic of his new album Wind's Poem (one of the best records of 09). No Kids / Tara Jane O'Neil & Stephen Steinbrink are all opening for this show. all bands are intriguing and should fit in their own folk n' indie ways. A MUST ATTEND SHOW // MOUNT EERIE IS GREAT // UVA CHAPEL IS THE BEST


(10-23) GWAR / The Red Chord @ The National
Lets say your to lazy to go to Charlottesville and see Mount Eerie but still want to see a show on the 23rd. Well then your in luck because local champs GWAR and back in RVA. You know the drill on how this one works (THERE WILL BE BLOOD!!!!). Supposedly opening act The Red Chord is a rad grindcore outfit - but I haven't honestly checked them out yet. If you haven't seen GWAR before do yourself the favor and see them live / one of the best shows around.


(10-28) Vivian Girls / The Super Vacations / The Invisible Hand @ Outback Lodge (((charlottesville)))
The Vivian Girls are back in VA. Supposedly last show at Outback Lodge was quite fantastic - and i'm pumped to attend this one now more than ever considering that their new album Everything Goes Wrong is still the same solid free flowing rock jams of the last one (this is a good thing I swear). The Super Vacations & The Invisible Hand are both opening for this yet, both bands put on fun garage rock sets. Should be a killer night // attend bro