Upcoming Shows for August, 2007

I’m surprised that, coming at the tail-end of the Summer Concert Season, August doesn’t really have a lot in store for those in pursuit of fantastic drinking-shows. September looks to be a much better month all around, but I still managed to find some stuff worth seeing this month.

First, the out of town stuff.

The NorVa doesn’t have much going on, but this Friday (the 10th) they’ve got Dweezil Zappa and a six-piece band doing a “three-hour multimedia performance” called Zappa Does Zappa, where (surprise!) he does a bunch of Frank Zappa stuff. They have a couple drinking songs, and a bunch of awesome songs, so if Dweezil does any good at all, it should be a delightful experience. Upcoming stuff of interest: Perry Farrell (mentioned for my roommate’s sake), Violent Femmes.

The 9:30 Club in D.C. is equally lackluster. The only thing of interest for August was the Neko Case show on the 16th, and it’s sold out, so it’s not much good mentioning it now. There’s also that Less Than Jake tour that hit Toad’s Place a bit ago, on the 23rd, but I wasn’t excited about that in RVA, so I’m less excited about it in DC. Upcoming stuff of interest? God, the 9:30 is sucking these days. Nothing even looks interesting.

Black Cat, also in D.C., has even less. Probably because I don’t know anything about 99% of the bands listed on their schedule. If you’re into indie-rock and small-label stuff like what gets played on the New Music Machine or the other new rock show, you should look at their website. I’m a poor guide to that stuff; I don’t have the time to listen to everything. Upcoming stuff of interest: Stiff Little Fingers, Electric Six, Turbonegro.

First on the Richmond list, Toad’s Place Richmond. I hear they got their ABC license the other day, so that’s exciting. Gwar’s playing on the 15th. Always an awesome time, always a lot of drunkenness both on-stage and off – ’nuff said. George Thorougood and the Destroyers are playing on the 26th. On the basis of “I Drink Alone” I have to recommend the show, against my better judgment because they also did every other song they ever did. That’s pretty much it for August – the rest of the year looks absolutely stellar, tho. Upcoming shows of interest: Dropkick Murphys, George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic, Marshall Tucker Band, Marty Stuart & His Fabulous Superlatives, Megadeth, Loudon Wainwright III, Reverend Horton Heat, Hank Williams III, Nashville Pussy.

Canal Club’s website is broken but it lists the Pietasters on Thursday the 23rd on the opening page (the only part which works), and Rehab next month. I’m not a super-fan of either, but they both have some awesome tracks.

Alley Katz used to be reliable for some awesomeness every month of the year. This month, you’ve got local PBR-swillers RPG on the 18th for the crusty metal fan in you. You’ve also got Voltaire, for the Gay-Pirate-sipping gothic dilettante in you, on the 25th, and Rocket Queen on the 31st for… you. And everyone else. Upcoming shows of interest: Whiskey and Co., Action Patrol.

I didn’t see anything that I recognized as awesome on Capital Ale House’s schedule for the month, but I felt I should mention them as they’re a new venue that’s managed to have some really good stuff in the short time since their Downtown Music Hall opened.

Lastly, nothing at the Landmark this month, but George Jones is coming in September.

That’s all I could find for this month, but feel free to comment and let me know about anything under my probably-lacking radar. I’ll add your suggestions to the post as they come in. Happy public drinking!

— devlocke