Richmond has one of the most exciting local scenes in the country, and this Friday, January 16th, two of Richmond's most entertaining bands will play DC's Black Cat mainstage, complimented brilliantly by DC local M.H. & His Orchestra, for what is sure to be one of the tightest, most energetic, and interesting lineups of the year.  

People's Blues of Richmond (or "PBR") are already well known to many. They're a psychadelic blues power trio, like (early) Led Zeppelin from the Dirty South. Crazy-tight and loud, they deliver the energy live, and their fans are wonderful and almost as entertaining. I saw them on a pirate boat on the Potomac a few months ago, and it was easily the best show of the year.

M.H. & His Orchestra is wild and chill at the same time. Like a lot of the music I love from Richmond, they mix the cheesy, the dirty, and excellent musicianship into weird pop perfection, making them the perfect group to sandwich between two bands from RVA. M.H. is psychadelia and lounge music and soundscapes and fearless arrangements. Every listen puts a smile on my face, and each song is a unique surprise.

Toxic Moxie describe themsevles as "disco punk," and, while apt, that description doesn't express the balls-out freakshow awesomness of this band. Toxic Moxie's super sexyness sneaks up on you, 'cause they come at you super weird. I want to watch this band and dance and do unsavory things until the sun comes up. And they're opening the show. Like booster rockets.

Do it. Friday January 16th, Black Cat. Doors at 9. $12 adv/$15 day of.  --Natan Press

To all of the faithful Deli readers, I apologize for the tardiness of this post, but between recovering from Sunday’s Boston Music Awards festivities and wrestling with some website issues, I have been unable to publish this article until now. I suppose the delay was a good thing though, because my head is finally clear enough to type out a few sentences about all that went down (or didn't go down) at the annual Boston music scene celebration. I struggled a bit in deciding the angle that I would take for this piece, considering most people just give a rote list of winners, peppered with a few choice adjectives. I've chosen to forego that list (you can find it on The Boston Globe or BMA website anyway), opting instead to give a one-sentence recap of the ceremonies, followed by a far more entertaining account of the best performance of the evening.   

The recap: I wasn't surprised by too much at the awards (Will Dailey and Bad Rabbits receiving more hardware was hardly a shocker), but I was excited to see The Sinclair take home Best Live Music Venue honors.

The story: The highlight of the night for me was Tigerman WOAH’s performance. They were slated to play one of the last sets of the evening, so I figured the BMA organizers and the Revere Hotel were anticipating the rowdy, awesome debauchery that comes standard with all Tigerman gigs, but I guess I was assuming too much. Halfway into their set, the Revere pulled the plug on the band due to numerous people throwing beers up, down and all around the stage. At least I think that was the reason--maybe they didn’t approve of everyone in the room shouting all of the lyrics to Tigerman’s songs? Apparently something about Tigerman’s genuine intensity, and the raucous enthusiasm and revelry that accompany their shows, didn’t align with the polished aesthetic of the hotel. Regardless, the band seemed to be having a good time at the show, passing around a bottle of bourbon among themselves and any audience member within arm’s reach of the stage.

Even with the abrupt stop their set, two things are indisputable: Tigerman always puts on one heck of a performance, and the BMA committee knows how to throw one heck of a party. - Dan McMahon (@dmcmhn), photoby Natasha Moustache @iamMoustache

BRNDA is releasing a new single, called "Apple King," this Saturday, 9/13 at Comet Ping Pong. The lineup for the night is a superb collection of local favorites. Paperhaus will be headlining the show, fresh from tour, including a stop at the Hopscotch Music Festival, in advance of the release of their new album. Before the tour, Paperhaus released the lead single "Cairo" to much acclaim, and the locals are restless to see them tight off of tour with new material. 
Also on the bill are DC favorites, and perpetual performers, The Sea Life who also recently released a new single, "Prozac & Merlot." Between sets, DJ Outputmessage will be spinning his magical sound-webs. Earlier this ear, Outputmessage released the ambitious and fantastic album The Infinite Void.
This show is a superb collection of local powerhouses, all with new material. It is not to be missed. --Natan Press

 Richmond's The Milkstains put up a preview stream of their new album Broken Bones (officially due September 4th). I knew I liked this band already, but this album surpasses expectations, seemingly running down a checklist of my favorite sounds and styles. Every track makes me love them more.

"La Adelita" is an expertly crafted surf instrumental, psyching the listener up for what's to come. "Sidewalk" is Replacementsy pop-rock, as engaging as that description can suggest. "Let Us Down" is an 80's proto-indie rocker, ferocious and meek, strong and sweet. "Caroline O'Keeffe" is some wacky low-fi garage version of Leiber/Stoller pop (with a blistering guitar solo). "Carrion Crow" is the desert and death, heat and haze, all gritty and sexy, like the loners and rebels your mom warned you about. "Heart of Mine" is a straightforward garage stomper, pounding drums and kinetic guitar-work. "Invisible Friends" is more dynamic garage with clever psychedelia conjured by the all analog studio. "Heavy Water" is the appropriate name for the next song; another instrumental surf track, but truly heavy, deep, crushing guitars. "Sonic Kick" fools you at the start with another heavy growling tone out of the bass, but turns immediately into a sweet and smooth indie-rocker, with shimmering guitars playing anthemic hooks. All too soon the album ends on title-track "Broken Bones," an even more anthemic indie-rocker with room to jam on some noise, like a combo of early 90's Sonic Youth and Dinosaur Jr., riding waves of electricity, blazing through hooks, into Siamese Dream-like walls of sound.

Broken Bones is a triumph of non-stop excitement, head-shaking goodness, taste and ambition. It's like a shrine to analog sound and psychedelia, collecting iconography from 60's surf to 90's alt-rock, and everything in between. The Milkstains aren't copycats however. They channel an energy all their own through each song, a growling tiger ready to pounce from beneath each track, and harness their musicianship and the skills of their producers to create a seemless passionate journey.  

You can catch them next at Richmond's Fall Line Fest, where they'll have the first solid copies of the album for sale. Get this album, however you can. --Natan Press  

The Almond Butters' debut EP, From The Grave, is my new favorite thing in local music (they're from Williamsburg, VA). I'm a really big fan of psych-rock, and roots music, and crazy psychedelic rootsy music. Captain Beefheart's Safe As Milk. I'm trying to think of other good examples, but my mind is busy being blown by this new EP I finally got around to listening to. If you know how amazing Safe As Milk is, then you know why I'm so mesmerized by From The Grave. I'm so happy this exists. I'm so sad that this was released on July 8th and I only got around to it now. I'm truly sorry that I'm a month late sharing this, and that we haven't all been enjoying it from the second it came out. 

Every track is a different idea. There's blues, and rock, and jazz but in a super psych-rock kinda way, and rap (yes, rap--Crackbilly, dude. Hell Yes). All kinds of fuzziness and echo and electricity and them changes coming at you from all directions. But it's not messy. This is not some Trout Mask Replica bullshit. Every song is a tight and forceful statement. It's a bit lo-fi, which is cool, but I'd love to hear what these guys put together in a serious analog studio. I can't find any upcoming live dates and this makes me sad. For now we'll have to settle for these 6 songs streaming below (and a bunch of other worthwhile stuff on their soundcloud). --Natan Press