Country Western Night AKA Come As You Are at Fuzzy Cactus
Saturday, April 9, Holy Roller, RVA, headlined a three-band performance at the Fuzzy Cactus on Brookland Park Blvd. Country Western was the theme of the night. Justin Golden and his band, The Come Up, another group of local performers, appeared, as well as The Great Beforetimes. Country western feels like the most true-to-form manifestation of this rock and roll bar’s purpose. I’ve loved seeing Acid Dad perform Searchin’ there and paying tribute to Elvis, who overlooks the bar from the first booth. It’s a shiny, alien, metal, country western, cozy kind of hole in the wall that devotes the all-gender bathroom space to local installation artists. Get down with the finely-crafted tiki sugar skull drinks. Get comfortable in a row of vinyl booths that line the bar, making a partition as well as offering a good view of the stage area. Hit up the pool table or the pinball machines. And feel free to stomp in your cowboy boots. Holly Roller’s name suits them well, because their male-lead singer has a wide open style and sings to a great wide open - not the open road though. Their music was spiritual and uplifting while still being fun. Easy, bright solos, a traveling bass and lots of backup vocals make it a wild and fun performance that comes to awesome heights enhanced by a wailing organ keyboard. Members of another local country-western group, Devil’s Coattails, who are on Floydfest’s bill this June were in attendance, and scattered fans in the full house sang along with several of this group’s songs. They were hot! Preceding their act, Justin Golden and the Come Up put on a mellow, blue kind of country folk performance. At times he sounded like Van Morrison, and at others, I felt the influence of labor songs. In those, I heard spiritual music. Golden reminds me a little of Tracy Chapman, for his humble persona on stage and the rich and husky quality of his voice. We, manning the door, liked the classic sound, the slide guitar, and I also appreciated the beautiful vocal additions from the group’s keyboardist. Hard copies of their album, Hard Times and a Woman, are available for purchase online. Justin Golden said, “we had a blast rocking out with Holy Roller and The Great Beforetimes.” He invites you to catch next appearance, May 30th, at Daydream Fest. I sat for most of this show by the doorman, soaking in the vibes, watching the detectives, and handing out sour peachie-o’s. Last night, by special permission, it was BYOC (candy) for me at this casual, colorful, craft-beverage venue! Don’t forget to bring cash for the door entry or hit a nearby ATM on the way to your next show and try the fried chicken!
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February 2022 brought me a great opportunity - to rank the ten best albums of a twenty-album selection of Richmond independent music released within the previous year. As is usual when I go listen to a local concert, my first word is : impressed? Floored? Amazed? by the quality of the performances I find at my semi-local bars. (I don't think they count as local because I have to pay tolls.) For the record, part of my role in this jury prize project was selecting albums, and though only one of my selections appeared on the list (and I found out about it in the newspaper,) for those music listeners who don't know their local scene, a tour through this shortlist would surprise and delight with the professionalism and quality.
McKinley Dixon, the inaugural prize-winning nominee, with his album, For My Mama And Anyone Who Look Like Her, who was represented by Spacebomb Records, that also lays down tracks for the Big Boss Combo among others, sung and spoke about the crucial necessity of his art to his personal identity. Fans responded to the unique texture of the album, maybe. Our goal was to select an album, in memory of a very creative and vibrant VCU Professor, Dika Newlin, based on what felt most "Richmond." What do we have? Textural and modern. Poetry flowing into rap. Art videos and a distinct sense of place on a kind of unkempt, green fringe of a neighborhood that doesn't put blinkers on in viewing violence and dispute, drugs and whatever else. This artist doesn't really denounce anything but exists in their own world, portraying a vulnerable, hopeful dreamer youth that wants to start fresh, celebrate creativity. And so I think the jury spoke clearly when they selected this album as most Richmond. But other songs still echo in my head and I think deserve recognition: Have you even heard of Frames, indie female-led pop group with their catchy "Cold Hard Criminal," or search as you may, good luck finding bedroom artist, Caro, on the web. A young student who has honesty and poise -- I can't get "Summertime," from her album From My Room, out of my head. Don't miss Junnie Mac X NameBrand rapping about "Glow" from their album, Peace, Mercy & Blessings. This song provides the lyrics for the album title, and maybe, to me, also the most put-together or seasoned political commentary. Coming right behind them in this category would be maybe Ant the Symbol, or Prabir Trio, or DJ Harrison, or Terminal Bliss. For spirit that has happily stuck with me, I've gotta hand the prize to Big Talk by Giant. This was a really good listen for me, because I'm a parent. Twin for sleek production and seasoned creativity are Jewell Booker, a music professor, too, and Illa Styles. For the social statements, I enjoyed Jewell's message, as well as WKNDR, Irish folk, Angelica Garcia, Mexican folk-modern. For strange and hard to grasp music that kind of transports you, I enjoyed DJ Harrison, Matthew E White and Big Fundamental. Including Gnawing, these all have a kind of distance or sarcasm to them that is compelling. I think they push musical boundaries, and in a way, all of these artists absolutely do. Abby Huston in more of an art-for-art's-sake direction. Finally, I was excited about two albums, Tennishu (self-titled) and Tiara and Andrew's Roller Skates, which were all about the footwear. These were the most mellow and mild albums, and I loved them! For artists and enthusiasts, in the coming months, you can visit the Newlin Music Prize website, contact the founders, and recommend next year's picks! Arrive early so you don't miss your favorite band's opening act! Hit the food or folk festival next weekend! Get out and enjoy the nice weather and yay!!! And for a more in-depth response to each of these albums, or a mention of my favorite track names from each, look further back in this blog history for a 3-part tour of all 20 of this year's nominees! I don't fix things; that's not my calling yet, but I think I am learning the art. What I know that I haven't quite mastered but suspect is actually the case... is this: fixing things takes a certain amount of zen and focus. The kind that people don't necessarily pay you for, and I think, more than being organized. But organization might be a good starting point. Deeper than well-marshalled supplies are the meticulous things -- an eye for the elements of whatever needs to be fixed, and the care and dedication required to fix something to last.
For example, and at that, an over-simplified example and a metaphor significant maybe only to me -- fixing a flat bicycle tire. What one needs is time and space. Because if you aren't yet a fixing things master of bicycle inner tubes, and you try to throw a patch on a tube, one or several disappointing outcomes are likely: a leaking patch, a pinched valve, or maybe just failure to remove your tire -- especially if your first flat change is on a road bike! Any kind of failure you can imagine is possible and success, I feel, revolves around, well that's just it. One must be zen. One must revolve around the situation for a bit, hover, pause, before zooming in, focusing... call it planning? Plan for time to remove the wheel from the bike and then the tire from the wheel. Depending on your bicycle, plan for the tire irons -- so-called little plastic levers that aid in this step of removal, and take it from me -- substitutions don't really pay off here. Use a metal screwdriver or try both ends of a fork? A keychain bottle cap-remover? Brute strength and bent fingernails? You will likely end up with more holes in your tube or rug-burns. So using the proper tools, should you need them, remove the tire. And be careful of the valve stem. Begin there, so as to avoid tearing your tube near the valve stem. Mince around that area and what's great about the tire removal step is this -- once you get the tire to budge a little bit, the rest is a breeze. And while we are on the subject, you might as well plan for the quiet and fresh air when you are learning. I'm inspired to write by this beautiful spring weather. Know the little parts-- like a special ring that holds your tube valve to the wheel rim-- you might need to unscrew one of these before you remove the tube. And once you have done so, plan for some kind of water source, and have your pump handy. Know the little screw on the presta valve tip that must be opened to pump air into a tube. Know the difference between presta and schraeder, the latter being like the car tire valves. Know if your pump accomodates both valves, and either way, fill the tube with air and listen and feel for the puncture. If the puncture can't be spotted, submerge your inflated tube in a calm water bath and simply look for bubbles! Why do you need a certain amount of zen for such a task? Well, the marshalling of resources, the marshalling of strength. It's time to center yourself and carry out a thankless kind of task. What is a bicycle? Is it your necessary means of transport? Then you might feel something more satisfying but still, patching a tube is a quiet accomplishment. No one will know how long you've made that inner tube last on band aids. No one knows how much you love your bike but you. And it's not clear that your bike knows how much you love it. It's probable that most people you encounter have some experience fixing things. And can understand the ins and outs of sacrifice and energy. What we put in... Once you've found your hole and dried the tube, maybe circled the hole with the little chalk that's sometimes included in the patch kit, this is where zen really becomes a factor. Find a clean work area, and know you have plenty of time to devote the right amount of time to each step of the process, even when the steps just require minutes. 30 seconds to dry the glue on the roughened surface. 2 minutes to let the patch sit before the patch will hold. Glue on a surface wider than that of the patch. Apply glue in an even, thin, yet generous layer. Dust out your tire to prepare for re-assembly, making sure the leak wasn't caused by dislodged debris inside the tire. A bike is simple like a fishing pole. It demands your fitness like a dog and ends up rewarding your spirit in return. It needs love and care like yourself. Better stored with a roof over its head so the frame won't rust and the tires wont rot... and the cables and shifters, sprockets and bearings. If you're just starting out, take these many components for granted and just get your bike to a shop for a tune-up when it starts to feel like a chore to ride. But while you are there, maybe making your purchase -- get the patch kit; get the chain grease. That's where every bike-owner can begin. And a bicycle, with its simplicity, on a campus, when you just have to get to class-- there's nothing more magical. A starting place for the way I think about independence, and maybe now, a heavier symbol for the burden of independence. My first grown-up bicycle, gray and steady. Is that irony or a fallacy? I don't think so! Remember when dating was exciting? When someone had a boyfriend in middle school it was a BIG deal, and we fantasized about kissing our crushes. Dating was drama, dating was status - when Reagan gave Morgan a blow job at the ice house it was a BIG deal. She didn't care that everyone knew and laughed about it. We were so innocent, but not quite, and definitely disillusioned.
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AuthorWe are Kieran and Michelle, two 32-year-old William & Mary grads living in Virginia. Archives
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