Another band, another time: Ten Ten

Kelly Miltier of the X-Raves fame recently posted a link to this video on Facebook. It caught my attention because Ten Ten used to play in the Triangle area of N.C. when I was in school there. I never got to see them, so this YouTube clip is my first exposure, twenty years after the fact.

Judging from this power ballad, Ten Ten was a melodic hard rock band -- sort of like a Southern version of The Cult.

Re-Offending

(The Offenders photo from MySpace)

Through the magic of MySpace (yes, some of us still spend time on ye olde MySpace) I learned tonight about The Offenders, a band from the 1980s that -- based on the few tracks I've heard so far -- seem to have been Richmond's answer to the Del Fuegos. That means they were a rootsy New Wave band that took its cues from the blues and R&B in the same way that bands like The Sonics and The Seeds did way back in the 1960s.

The group includes Terry Garland, who I'm familiar with as a fine acoustic blues man.

It looks like the band fizzled after the 1980s, but has been reuniting recently. I saw a Sept. 26 Canal Club date on the group's MySpace page.

Here's the group's posted bio:


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The Offenders were a top local draw in central Virginia in the early 1980s. Terry Garland, Chris Link and Richard Cowles were members of the rock band "Bull" in the late seventies. They met songwriter/singer Bruce Olsen in Richmond during 1978 and became friends with him right from the start. Bruce did a few demo recordings with Chris and Richard in late 1978 and early 1979. The following year, they would become Offenders. In August of 1980, Bruce contacted Chris and Richard who were both currently out of the band scene. They began rehearsing some of Bruces' original tunes. The drinking age was 18, Watch Out..."10 songs and we play in a week!" Instant gradification. Immediate Relief! Knocked Off Of My Feet! Lovin the Time Away! They played a few times and the kids were lovin' it. "Life is good, we're sellin' it!" In October, Terry joined them on guitar and Dr. Payne became their manager and sound man. The Offenders were born. "Pulsate", a song from their 1st studio demo, appeared on XL-102's Statutory Rock album in early 1981. Offenders got a good push from regular radio air play and an increase in their audience was immediately seen. "Going Bananas"and "Hard Times" became regular show spots for The Offenders that summer. They recorded a 12 song album in Philadelphia during the Fall. They built an admirable following in the Richmond and Charlottesville areas during 1981. The Offenders saw a lot of audience excitement as their LP, "The Offenders Record"was issued in the Winter of 1982. They enjoyed large turnouts at their many Virginia College concerts that year and appeared on a Cox Cablevision video production recorded at The Kings Head Inn in Norfolk Virginia. 1982 was a great year for The Offenders and their popularity continued into 1983. Bruce opened a recording studio at The Floodzone in early 1983. Offenders played dates for the remainder of the year and paused after a final show at the Cellar Door in December. Bruce spent most of 1984 working in his studio. At the end of 1984 The Offenders got together and recorded fifteen new originals at Floodzone with the idea of releasing a second LP. The decision was made to play some more dates for the love of it. A second Offenders LP was never released but still the group played a dozen or more shows during the Spring and Summer of '85. They also made a trip to Hollywood in September and appeared on the TV show "Star Search". This marked the end of an era for The Offenders. In 1987, The Offenders played a reunion show at The Floodzone. After that, there was a 19 year absence by this band. In 2006, Bruce, Terry, Chris and Richard got together again after almost 20 years and discussed a renewed Offenders project. Offenders have done four reunion shows since 2007, the latest being February 15, 2009 at Canal Club. Still got room for the Offenders!

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The Name Game

(The Poly-Opto at The Blue Nile in Harrisonburg/ Hugh Fagan photo)

Thundercock, a rock band from Virginia Beach, is now called The Poly Opto, which means the band has gone from having a terrible name to having one that's just mildly bad.

The band's music is better than either name, though. Tough and aggro, but not brainless. A little jammy, but not too self-indulgent. I'm glad to see they're playing at The NorVa on July 3 with No Fault of Their Own and Oedipius Rex.

Hi Skye

(MySpace photo of Skye Zentz)

The ukulele-loving songstress Skye Zentz is back in our general vicinity. Or at least she will be June 12 when she's scheduled to play The Boot along with Chris Merritt and SaidTheLion.

Skye has been on some sort of California adventure for the better part of the last 12 months. I haven't connected with her yet to hear some of the stories, but I bet the experiences will make her Boot show all the more entertaining.

Video Clam Jamming

A few months ago we were concerned about The Half Shell's future as a local music venue. Now, it looks like all is well. I saw the following posted on MySpace yesterday:

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CLAMJAM TV, A Live Local Music Webcast.

Norfolk Entertainment (Norfuckers) & The Half Shell are in the mix of setting up and running an advertising sponsored website dedicated to live performances of local musicians and bands. The half Shell will host a weekly show where a band will be video interviewed, and then 2 songs from their performance will be video recorded and hosted on the website. The performance will also be live audio recorded to be synchronized with the video for quality purposes. We will be hosting 2-3 acts weekly having one of the bands featured on the web cast ( don't worry, if you are a supporting band you will get your featured night as well.) Start letting us know if you or your band is interested. You can contact "Big B" of Norfuckers or myself, Ben, here at the half shell page. Also if you are interested in advertising on the website let us know. This is our effort to spread and support local music, so spread the love and help us out!!

thanks
Ben @ The Half Shell

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Dean's Silent Scream

"Black Postcards," the new memoir by ex-Galaxie 500 and Luna man Dean Wareham is a terrific read that gives great insights into the sub-pop rock world of the 1980s and 1990s. Wareham seems to be reliable narrator if only because he doesn't mind telling stories that make him less than heroic. The breakup of his marriage is detailed with almost cool detachment. You can tell he feels deeply about it, but the emotion doesn't seem to cloud his description of events.

Here's some of what I learned about Wareham by reading "Black Postcards"

1) He dislikes The Pixies
2) He really likes the drug Ecstasy
3) He really likes The Feelies
4) He really dislikes fans who come up to him after shows and want to talk about what distortion pedals he uses.

Anyone curious about what it would have been like to be on the rock club circuit in both America and Europe back in the '90s should give the book a read. "Black Postcards" makes a fine companion to Jen Trynin's "Everything I'm Cracked Up To Be" which also demystifies the underground rock experience.

OK, so what does "Black Postcards" have to do with music in and around Norfolk? Well, the book does mention Norfolk ... exactly once.

Recalling a gig he played at the Electric Factory in Philadelphia as an opener for Lou Reed, Wareham writes "The Electric Factory was pretty glamorous compared with some of the places Luna had played, like the Jewish Mother in Norfolk, Virginia, or Sudsy's in Cincinnati."

Ah, our fair city besmirched again. But I'm not sure if he really meant the Jewish Mother in Virginia Beach. While there was a Jew Mom in Norfolk for a time, I remember it as a reasonably classy joint.

Asthmatics Attack

(The Asthmatics/ Toggle Switch photo)

There's nothing more soul soothing than loud, tuneful rock songs played by a tight band that fires them off with spirit and verve.

Case in point, The Asthmatics (previously known as King and Caroline and Volcano Roll), an indie rock trio from Newport News that returned from a prolonged hiatus Thursday night at Marker 20 in Hampton.

My pal Joe Atkinson writes melodies that lodge deep in your cerebral cortex and make themselves at home there. And his lyrics -- on songs such as "Trigger of the Gun," "Button Up Shirt," and "Firecracker" -- effortlessly evade cliche. Why isn't this band a beloved local institution? Drummer problems, lethargy, frustration ... pretty much the usual list of symptoms encountered by bands that play original music in Hampton Roads, even more so on the Peninsula.

The band's long absence from the local live music scene made Thursday's short set all the sweeter.

Viva Les Asthmatics. Here's hoping they'll soon cough at a bar near you.

Webb Center Chaos

(Ultra Dolphins' Nate Rappole, Toggle Switch)


(Marnie Stern, Toggle Switch)



(Blonde Redhead's Kazu Makino, Toggle Switch)

Saturday's Campus Chaos show at Old Dominion University was predictably strange, but strangely satisfying. I missed several of the bands that played in the afternoon, but caught a good part of the set by Richmond's hard-hitting Ultra Dolphins. Metal, punk and math rock blend together in the Dolphins' sound. They were very aggressive and very tight. Apparently they've been around for years but have played rarely in Hampton Roads. I hope somebody brings them back soon.

Those guys played on the steps of the Webb Center. Inside, The Love Language, a band from North Carolina was a nice surprise. Their carefully-crafted and artfully arranged indie pop was refreshing after the Dolphins' blast of angry energy. While their sound isn't incredibly original, it's lovely. I'll be reading and listening and learning more about these guys.

Marnie Stern was a bit of a disappointment, though. Her Dokken-meets-The Shaggs sound gets mad points for originality, but way too few points for melody. What she's doing is so interesting I was frustrated that her songs weren't just a little more comprehensible. Also, for someone with amazing chops, her performance was surprisingly sloppy.

Blonde Redhead was great. The trio puts out an amazing amount of intoxicating sound. Their film-soundtrack drama was powerful and beautiful and fun to watch. I'm glad I finally got to see this band, which more than lives up to the promise of its recordings.

Thanks, ODU, for assembling such an entertaining day of music.

Record Store Day Dream

To celebrate Record Store Day, I headed down to Birdland Records in Virginia Beach to spend some money and bag some CDs. Barry Friedman's store has moved a couple of doors down. It's in the same shopping center (Providence Square) but in a smaller space. Barry tells me that his landlord wanted to put an ABC store in his old location. So I suppose I shouldn't be depressed that yet another record store is shrinking. Plan 9 in Williamsburg moved across the street to a smaller location a year or so ago. I know that D.J.'s Music and Video in Norfolk is planning to move into more compact quarters.

The upside is that Plan 9, Birdland and D.J.'s -- along with Skinnies in Norfolk and Fantasy in Newport News -- are still alive in 2009. This time last year, I would have bet that one of those four would be gone. Instead, it's Volume in Virginia Beach that was the victim. I saw the marvelous Sarah Carter there for the first time last year at an in-store performance. I'll miss Volume.

When I walked up to the counter at Birdland on Saturday and set down my selections, the guy at the register (not Barry) wondered why I was buying so much. "Is it your birthday?" he asked.

Here's what I bought:

The Stooges "Funhouse" (double disc special edition)
The Beatles "Love" (for my wife, Patty)
Jill Sobule "California Years"
Buddy and Julie Miller "Written in Chalk"
Animal Collective "Merriweather Post Pavilion"

As a bonus, I got a "Record Store Day" compilation LP including tracks by Glasvegas, Raphael Saadiq, Black Kids and Q-Tip.

Mixed Bag

(Killbot photo courtesy of MySpace)

Here are some quick thoughts for a Sunday night:

1) Neko Case at The National in Richmond April 6. Case's voice is a wonder. In Richmond last week, it sounded as good -- possibly even better -- than it does on record. While the pace of her show was jerky due to between-song dawdling, her songs, her singing and her excellent band made for a fine night of music. My only other minor complaint was that some feedback problems marred at least one song. Beyond that, I was thrilled by the show. It was my first trip to The National (even though the place has been open about a year). Seeing how much it has to offer, I'm sorry I didn't cruise up to Richmond much earlier. As an aside, I'll point out that Neko is, in fact a Virginian, even though she's lived in many places across the nation and even in Canada. She was born in Alexandria.

2) "Locals Lounge," the radio show hosted by Alfredo Torres, featured Freedom Hawk live in the studio tonight. Great to see Torres still flying the flag for local music by asking one of the area's top hard rock acts to stop by his show. While not every band Torres spins on his show is a favorite, he does hit a home run from time to time. I understand he's even spun "My Brain" by Hampton's Uglyography -- for which he deserves my admiration and yours.

3) Speaking of Uglyography, Matt Thomas' solo project spent last week on a regional tour -- an impressive feat of logistical planning and utter gumption. I'm hoping that the tour pays dividends for Matt, who's been making great music and paying his dues for years -- including many in Hampton's wonderful Outer Loop. Matt's MySpace page includes some blog posts about his tour, which has included stops in Washington, D.C., Chapel Hill, N.C., Charlestown, W.Va., Richmond and Johnson City, Tenn.

I know next to nothing about Johnson City, but it seemed to be one of the highlights of the tour. Matt played with Johnson City's own Killbot, who made quite an impression. Here's an excerpt from Matt's blog:

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After me was another solo act called Killbot. This guy (Daniel is his name) was really off the wall and pulled off some rad stuff. His setup consists of a suitcase. It is a magical suitcase and I'm still not sure exactly what was in it. He performed with his back to the audience for the majority of the time, leaning into this suitcase on a table, and pushing buttons, tweaking stuff, doing something, I don't know what, performing magic. The result was the ultimate in noisy distorted dance music freak out with all sorts of samples and synth sounds and super nasty vocal tones ... it is difficult to describe without a sample of the music. Check out his myspace profile for a taste. To top it off, he jumped around in a quick step troll-like dance, which again, is impossible to explain. I'm not sure if troll-like is the right description, but I do not mean that as an insult, dude! It is the highest compliment.

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Are They Not Men? They are Stimutacs

(Stimutacs photo from MySpace)

If Toggle Switch really had its act together, it would be reporting on how Virginia bands -- including the delightful Hot Lava -- did at South By Southwest in Austin, Texas, a couple of weeks ago. Or, even better, Toggle Switch would report on how this year's edition of MACRoCk event in Harrisonburg. That new-rock celebration just wrapped up this weekend and I'm sure that some juicy news came out of that annual event.

Alas, Toggle Switch doesn't really have its act together. But maybe I'll eventually be able to devote some time to finding out how all that worked out. (Please do send me reports and I'll happily pass them on).

In the meantime, I'm going to write about Stimutacs, a Norfolk band that's worth your attention. Think about Devo with a more lo-fi approach and more metal guitars grinding in the mix, and you're starting to imagine what these guys are cranking out.

While the recordings posted on the band's MySpace page are a bit too crude for their own good, and the singing on all the tracks is a bit sketchy, there's clearly something interesting happening here. They're a band to watch -- which may be why they were signed up as an opening act for the Blonde Redhead-Marnie Stern show happening at ODU on April 25. For ticket info on that show, go here.

Winning Ugly

(Matt Thomas is Uglyography/Toggle Switch photo)

Uglyography cannot be stopped. It's doing exactly what too few Hampton Roads rock bands ever attempt: A regional tour. Hampton-based mastermind Matt Thomas has continued to refine his one-man-band concept (he performs live vocals, bass and guitar accompanied by pre-recorded tracks), and, based on the set I caught late last year, he's never sounded better.
At the shows listed below, he'll be performing tunes from his fine disc "Love Boat" which was released a few years back and possibly some new blasts of his quirk punk.

Here's the message Matt sent out earlier this week:

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Friends, Family, Fans, and everybody else out there,

I'm super stoked to announce Uglyography's first regional tour. I'll be hitting the road April 4 - 11 on a tour that encompasses 4 states and our nation's capital. If you live nearby any of the towns listed on this schedule, I would really love to see your mug out in the audience when I roll through. If you don't live in any of these towns, but know someone that does, please forward this along - I love to see strangers' mugs in the audience as well!

Super big ugly thanks to all of you who have helped me out in booking these dates and offered up places to stay, etc. You know who you are and I am forever grateful.

Note that I am playing THIS Friday [March 27] in Washington DC for what I consider to be a "warmup" show. The Andalusians rock (that is who I am playing with) and the record store is great from what I hear.

So, without further ado, here are the dates. Pass them on!!!

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Warm up show:

Washington, D.C. - Friday March 27 - @Crooked Beat Records at 2318 18th Street NW 7:00pm with The Andalusians.
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April Tour:

Roanoke, VA - Saturday, April 4 - @ The Water Heater with Kid A and Billy Wallace 7:30pm, $5, all ages

Washington DC -Sunday, April 5 - @ Solly's U Street Tavern with Sean K. Preston and a special guest 8:00 pm, $5, 21 and up

Charles Town, WV- Monday, April 6 -@ Jumpin' Java with Rob Crutchfield 6:00 pm, $3, all ages

Johnson City , TN - Tuesday, April 7 - @ The Hideaway with Killbot 11:00 pm, $5, 18 and up

Chapel Hill, NC - Wednesday, April 8 - @ The Cave, details to come 10:00 pm - $5, 21 and up

Blacksburg , VA - Thursday, April 9 - @ Gillie's Late Night with Schmarx of the Incline 8:00 pm, free, all ages

Harrisonburg, VA - Friday, April 10 - @ The Little Grill Collective with Buck Gooter, Book of Kills, and Don Zientara 8:00 pm, $5, all ages

Richmond , VA Saturday, April 11 - @ Wonderland with One Friend and Push Button Reaction 10:00 pm, $5, 21 and up

Hope to see you out there on the road. Thanks for all your support!

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Sock Hoppin', Hot Rockin'

Forgive the short notice, but this is a great show that will raise money for a great cause, Gallery5. If you're looking for entertainment and a way to get all up in the Virginia new rock scene, You should head for Gallery5. Word up.

Weekend Wrap-up

(Toggle Switch photo of The Mountain Goats, Darnielle left, Vanderslice right)

A few brief, belated words about a pair of fine concerts that took place in Norfolk over the weekend. The Mountain Goats, who played Friday night at The Attucks Theatre, were in fine form. John Darnielle cuts an unusual figure as a performer -- his weird, nerdy energy is strange, but compelling. I'd never seen him live before and I was certainly impressed. His voice was every bit as strong as what's heard on his records. And his odd charisma meant he commanded the stage even though he was alone for most of the show. His producer (and opening act) John Vanderslice joined him for a few tunes, but mostly it was John alone. Definitely one of the young year's most memorable sets.

The size of the crowd at the Attucks was a pleasant surprise. The place was almost sold-out. I know the Discovery Music Series (of which the Goats were a part) has chalked up a few sellouts, including ones by blues rocker Joe Bonamassa and The Avett Brothers. But this was the biggest crowd I personally witnessed. Says something good about the local audience for adventurous music.

On the other hand, Saturday night's show by the Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players attracted just a handful of folks. The Trachtenburg's didn't seem bothered that there were only a few dozen folks at The Boot to watch their sweet, funny performance art shtick. "It's fine. We're about to break this thing wide open," Jason Trachtenburg told me after the set. "The show's never been better." Amazing that he could be so optimistic after playing a nearly empty room in Norfolk, Virginia. But it was great to hear and see the Trachtenburgs here. And for only $10? Where was everybody?

MACRoCk The Casbah

(Cinnamon Band photo via MySpace)

MACRoCk, Harrisonburg's annual new rock celebration, has announced its lineup. I was glad to see the list includes familiar names like Mas Y Mas, Young Sinclairs, Red Clay River, Great White Jenkins, Cinnamon Band and Super Vacations. At the same time, I'm happy to see lots of unfamiliar names. I'll be exploring a bunch of these folks in preparation for the festival, which happens at various venues April 3-4.

The Kings of Slides

The Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players are a band everyone should see. Well, you shouldn't see them if you don't have a sense of humor. Or if you don't like sugary indie rock music. Pretty much everybody else should see the Trachtenburgs. And thanks to the wonderful people at The Boot, doing just that is as easy as a ride over to 21st Street in Norfolk.

On March 21, you'll see the three Trachtenburgs working their magical spell of music, weird comedy and old slides from the 1970s.

Oh yeah.

James River Blues

(John Cephas photo by Jack Vartoogian/FrontRowPhotos)

I was sad to read this week of the death of John Cephas -- known as the singing, guitar-playing half of the blues duo Cephas and Wiggins. John's deep voice and robust acoustic guitar style helped to keep the Piedmont style alive here in its native Virginia. With his loss -- and the loss of John Jackson a few years earlier -- there's an enormous void.

Here's a link to the New York Times story about John's death.

Sea Songs

(Seamonster art by by dave kiersh!)

Lots has been happening and I haven't been posting much, but I intend to catch up. In short, the print version of Portfolio magazine is dying, but Saturday's award show at the JewMom seems to be on as scheduled. Saturday also will see simultaneous Norfolk shows by two of Toggle Switch's favorite Hampton roads bands -- Pawnshoplifters at The Taphouse and Mas Y Mas at The Boot. Three places to go on one night, an embarrassment of live music riches.

Here's a repost of a message from Seamonster about some good things that are happening with him:

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Seamo​nster​'​s first​ full lengt​h recor​ding,​ the ascen​sion of archi​bald ballo​onhea​d is now avail​able at fine onlin​e retai​lers such as itune​s and emusi​c,​ court​esy of the swell​ folks​ at gold robot​ recor​ds!​ now you can spend​ a few cents​ and hear some tunes​,​ or just liste​n to the sweet​ thirt​y secon​d sampl​es.​ if you alrea​dy have the album​,​ be kind enoug​h to write​ a revie​w on the itune​s page!​

also,​ robbe​rt bobbe​rt and the bubbl​e machi​ne is avail​able in store​s,​ and featu​res super​ delux​e packa​ging by yours​ truly​ (​inclu​ding a comic​ book and color​ing book)​ and the might​yfine​ music​al styli​ngs of the apple​s in stere​o'​s rober​t schne​ider!​ check​ it out march​ first​ on good morni​ng ameri​ca,​ and right​ now on abc news now'​s "​ampli​fied"​

lastl​y,​ there​ are a few shows​ comin​g up in april​ - elon nc, athen​s ga, and colum​bia sc - for which​ i hope to unvei​l some new recor​dings​.​.​.​.​ we shall​ see!

Moonlight Mile

(Photo of Rickey from Facebook)
Through Facebook, I learned tonight that my friend Rickey Wright is hospitalized and is in very serious condition. For those of you who don't know Rickey, he was a music writer from here in Norfolk who worked at the Virginian-Pilot for a time in the 1990s. He's been living in Seattle for the better part of the last 10 years.
Rickey was very much a role model for me. His writing about local bands including Buttsteak and Waxing Poetics definitely pointed me in a direction that eventually became this blog. Along with being one of the funniest and smartest people I know, he's also easily one of the most musically knowledgeable people I've ever met. I wish I could offer more details about Rickey's situation, but I'm just finding out about all of this myself. I'll update as as soon as possible. In the meantime, join me in sending healing thoughts or prayers his way.
[Update, 02-19-2009, 11:30 p.m.] A few hours ago, I learned that Rickey passed away this afternoon in Seattle. He had suffered several strokes, the last of which caused severe brain damage, according to a family member. Rickey was 45. Read a Virginian-Pilot story about his death here.]

Up In My Mixed Grill

(Photo of Andalusians from Dischord Records)

Here are a few random bits I'd like to share with Toggle Switch Nation (all 7 of you):

Thing One -- A recent Mojo magazine (the one with James Hetfield from Metallica on the cover) included a short, very positive review of a hard-to-find disc by Hush Arbors. The review's subhead announced: "Avant-pastoral stalwart Keith Wood finally steps into the spotlight." The short piece goes on to explain that Wood, the band's mastermind, is a Virginian now living in London.
"Wood has certainly paid his acid-folk and experimental scene dues," Manish Agarwal writes, and mentions Sunburned Hand of The Man, Current 93 and Wooden Wand as some of his earlier projects. Apparently, Wood collaborates with Leon Dufficy in Hush Arbors. Anyway, these guys are now officially on my radar screen.

Thing Two -- I was very happy to see on The Boot's calendar that the wonderful, funny and profoundly strange Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players are set to get weird at everybody's favorite Italian/Virginia/Indie rock restaurant on March 21. This is something to look forward to ... unless you're morally against laughing.

Thing Three -- The Andalusians, a Washington, D.C.-area band, that features Hampton drummer Sammy Ponzar -- are now out on tour after playing over the weekend in Richmond. The band has issued a 7-inch on esteemed Dischord Records. I'm hoping they find a way to make it to Hampton Roads soon.

Gallery Needs Green

(Photo courtesy of Laurel Dankos/MySpace)

Gallery5 in Richmond is one of the most vibrant art and music spaces in Virginia. A quick glance back at posters for events there shows appearances by Fight the Big Bull, The Hotdamns!, Prabir and The Substitutes, David Shultz and The Skyline, The Great White Jenkins, Hot Lava, Special Ed and The Shortbus and many others. The place has been a source of life and community and it would be a shame for it to die. The place is in serious financial peril, though, as you can read from the following MySpace bulletin:


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In the past four years, Galle​ry5 has intro​duced​ to Richm​ond an entir​ely new conce​pt in the prese​ntati​on of cutti​ng-​edge art and creat​ive live perfo​rmanc​es.​ From the criti​cally​ accla​imed “Disr​obed”​ and “Disr​obed 2” - the highe​st-​atten​ded art openi​ngs in Virgi​nia histo​ry;​ to the “Carn​ival of Five Fires​” - three​ night​s of art, enter​tainm​ent,​ and ribal​d revel​ry;​ and hundr​eds of unequ​aled exhib​its,​ perfo​rmanc​es,​ and socia​lly-​consc​ious prese​ntati​ons,​ progr​ams and campa​igns throu​ghout​ the years​,​ Galle​ry5 has been the beaco​n of hope and creat​ivity​ for thous​ands of emerg​ing artis​ts and enter​taine​rs.​

Galle​ry5,​ house​d in a 160 year-​old,​ Natio​nal Histo​ric Landm​ark build​ing,​ now finds​ itsel​f in a very preca​rious​ posit​ion.​ The tens of thous​ands of loyal​ volun​teers​,​ artis​ts,​ perfo​rmers​ and guest​s who have combi​ned to make Galle​ry5 one of the most popul​ar art desti​natio​ns in Richm​ond,​ have also been respo​nsibl​e for the wear and tear to the build​ing that now must be addre​ssed,​ witho​ut the neces​sary fundi​ng to do the work.​

Witho​ut an immed​iate influ​x of adequ​ate fundi​ng to addre​ss this serio​us situa​tion,​ Richm​ond will lose this valua​ble histo​ric resou​rce.​ As most of you alrea​dy know,​ Galle​ry5 has alway​s been a labor​ of love,​ opera​ted and maint​ained​ entir​ely by volun​teers​.​ It is our hope that the thous​ands of visit​ors who have been treat​ed to a cacop​hony of uniqu​e sight​s and sound​s each and every​ month​ will now come to our aid so that Galle​ry5 can conti​nue to provi​de quali​ty,​ innov​ative​ and enric​hing art, enter​tainm​ent and exhib​its to patro​ns for years​ to come.​

Our goal is to raise​ $​175,​000 to maint​ain both the histo​ric build​ing and Galle​ry5,​ we need your suppo​rt.​
All donat​ions,​ monet​ary or in-​kind,​ are tax deduc​tible​.​ Even the small​est donat​ions are appre​ciate​d.​


A few of our criti​cal needs​:​
-​Roof repai​rs
-​Exter​ior repai​rs
-​Inter​ior Water​ Damag​e
-​Repla​cemen​t awnin​gs
-​Elect​rical​ upgra​de
-​Heat and Air Upgra​de
-​Floor​ Repai​rs (​Sandi​ng,​ Repai​nting​,​ Refin​ishin​g)​
-​Paint​ing (​Inter​ior and Exter​ior)​
-​Equip​ment Repai​r and Upgra​de
-​Clean​ing Servi​ces
-Gas Line Repai​r
-Mac Compu​ter for Offic​e and Inter​nship​ Progr​am
-​Music​al Equip​ment

Galle​ry5 curre​ntly pays over $4, 000 a month​ for its utili​ties,​ mortg​age and insur​ance.​
This does not inclu​de month​ly licen​sing,​ taxes​,​ maint​enanc​e and other​ profe​ssion​al servi​ces.​

We are now placi​ng Galle​ry5’s​ futur​e in the hands​ of our loyal​ suppo​rters​ and frien​ds.​ If you are in a posit​ion to assis​t us, all of our faith​ful volun​teers​ will be etern​ally grate​ful for your unsel​fish suppo​rt for this Richm​ond icon.​

How do I donat​e:​?​
You can make a donat​ion via check​,​ money​ order​,​ credi​t card or paypa​l.​ If you would​ like to make an in-​kind contr​ibuti​on,​ pleas​e email​ galle​ry5@​galle​ry5ar​ts.​org

Our paypa​l link is liste​d below​.​ Pleas​e enter​ what you would​ like to see your donat​ion go towar​ds.​

https​:​/​/​www.​ paypa​l.​ com/​cgi-​bin/​websc​r?​cmd=​_​s-​xclic​k&​hoste​d_​butto​n_​id=​29862​53

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Mountain Music

(Jack Rose with Black Twig Pickers/photo by Amy Shea)

The Black Twig Pickers have snapped their way back into my thinking. Today, I stumbled upon a very illuminating blog post that describes a Blacksburg gig with the guitarist Jack Rose back in November. In case you missed my earlier Black Twig musings, these guys are former alternative drone noise rockers (formerly with the Richmond-born band Pelt) who have become infatuated with traditional Appalachian folk music. Naturally, the music they make is informed by both strains. I've only heard the Black Twig Pickers on record, but judging from the account on the Strawberry Flats blog, it sounds like they're terrific live. The Seattle Weekly mentioned them as part of a refreshing new wave of twangy alternative in this piece.

Paul is Live ...Long Live Paul

(Photo nabbed from mgblakenship.blogspot.com)
Public Radio's Paul Shugrue said tonight on his show "Out of the Box" that he plans to mark the fifth anniversary of his joining WHRV-FM wth a special retrospective program on Saturday.
So this is a fine opportunity to give Paul some luv.
It's hard for me to believe it's already been five years. But in another sense, I have trouble remembering what the airwaves were like without him. With no disrespect to the wonderful Rollie Bristol who died last year, Paul's show has become a fundamental part of my musical world. I listen habitually. Of course I don't love everything he plays. But I can depend on Paul to spin lots of good music that's creating a buzz in the industry or the underground. So often, I am introduced to music that I've previously only read about as I drive home from work around 7 p.m.
Paul also deserves credit for playing music from Hampton Roads artists. He's definitely dedicated to fostering a sense of community here and I appreciate that. Thanks.

Trooper Take Two

(Bobby, left, is out. Jonnie, right, is now center stage/MySpace photo)

A few weeks ago, I ran into the guitar player from Little Trooper at The Boot and he informed me that Bobby, the band's previous lead singer and primary songwriter, had left the band. The guitar player didn't go into detail, but I could tell this was an unhappy and uncomfortable situation. On the bright side, Little Trooper will apparently live on. They were supposed to play at The Taphouse on Friday (I missed it because I've been battling a nasty cold). I understand that a reconfigured version of the band now features the guitar player, Jonnie, as the new lead singer and they've got a batch of new songs. Admittedly, I'm concerned because I was fond of the old version of the band ... but we are in a season of change, right? I see from the band's MySpace page, that they're set to play The Boot on Feb. 12.

Race For the Prize

(Muckrakes photo/ MySpace)

Port Folio Weekly recently published its list of nominees for 2009 Local Music Awards. You can see the full list and cast your vote here. Awards will be handed out Feb. 28 at the Jewish Mother in Virginia Beach.
Scanning the names, I see several bands and performers that Toggle Switch has been following over the last year. The Villains are nominated for Album of the Year. At War was picked in the Metal/Hard Rock category. Mas Y Mas, The Super Vacations, The Trauma Dolls and Basic Riffs all will compete in the punk category.
Under the Americana heading, I see Gina Dalmas, Pawnshop Lifters, Shifty and The Muckrakes, who I heard for the first time this past Friday at Tanner's Creek in Norfolk.
I'm happy to report that The Muckrakes are a great addition to the Hampton Roads scene. Their rustic ensemble sound -- made up of banjo, fiddle, lap steel and strong harmony vocals -- shows they have a bright future. On Friday I only heard a handful of tunes, including Dolly Parton's "Jolene" and a honky-tonk version of The Cure's "Just Like Heaven," but I heard enough to know I want to see them again soon. Fortunately, they're scheduled to play a bunch in coming weeks. Their schedule includes shows Jan. 22 at Cozy's in Newport News and Jan. 23 at O'Sullivan's Wharf in Norfolk.
In the spirit of full disclosure, I should point out that Muckrakes lap steel man Cory Nealon is a co-worker of mine. But don't hold that against him.

Ten Gems from Oh Eight

(Death Vessel's Joel Thibodeau: Not exactly what I imagined.)

Happy new year, Toggle Switch readers. Here at T.S. World Headquarters, our crack team of technicians, ethnomusicologists and barbecue fanatics are still putting the finishing touches on a best-of 2008 Virginia music collection for you to download. In the meantime, allow me to introduce my ten favorite tracks from 2008. Here they are in no particular order and not hemmed in by any geographical limitations what-so-ever:

1. "California Girls" Magnetic Fields, from the album "Distortion." Stephen Merritt's homage to the droning, grungy sound of Jesus and Mary Chain didn't turn out to be my favorite Magnetic Fields album, but it did produce this sweet, sarcastic gem.

2. "Baby Likes a Love Song" Malcolm Holcombe, from the album "Gamblin House" A gravel-throated North Carolinian at his rustic best.

3. "Bruno's Torso" Death Vessel, from the album "Nothing is Precious Enough For Us." I was obsessed with this song after hearing it on a free Sub Pop sampler CD I picked up on Independent Record Store Day. A big part of the attraction was that voice -- which upon closer examination turned out to belong to a man, not a beautiful woman. Hmmm.

4. "Furr" Blitzen Trapper, from the album "Furr." Coincidentally, another song included on that Sub Pop "Happy Birthday to Me" sampler, this track is one of several nice ones on the band's newest disc. Seeing these guys open for Iron and Wine at The NorVa sealed the deal for me. What a great band.

5. "He Doesn't Know Why" Fleet Foxes, from the album "Fleet Foxes." Yes, lots of people have been singing the praises of these guys, so I'm not enlightening anybody, but I've got to be honest. I was infected with Fleet Foxes Fever like everybody and your brother. This track finds them getting more Zombies than CSN, which is always a good thing.

6. "Effington" Ben Folds, from the album "Way To Normal." I always thought the Norfolk street name Effingham sounded like the punch line of a joke. Could never get the setup, though. Then Ben comes along and writes this great song about how "life is effing great in Effington." Jerk.

7. "That's Not My Name" The Ting Tings, from the album "We Started Nothing." I hated Gwen Stefani's "Hollaback Girl" a few years ago -- even though a bunch of people thought the tune was a guilty pleasure. I'm embarrassed that I like this track so much. But fuck it. I do.

8. "Time to Pretend" MGMT, from the album "Oracular Spectacular." Another popular favorite in new music circles, and I understand why. Great melody, great lyrics and great production from Flaming Lips pal Dave Fridmann.

9. "The Kids Don't Stand a Chance" Vampire Weekend, from the album "Vampire Weekend." The thing that still amazes me about this album is how relaxed and effortless it all sounds. This is my favorite tune from the disc -- and the first one I heard when my man Joe Atkinson sent me a link to a video of the band playing it unplugged.

10. "Broken" Tift Merritt, from the album "Another Country." Looking back over the songs I've picked, I think I'm revealing myself as a incurable fluff-head. Anyway, this is the sweetest track from a possibly too-polished album. Can't give the whole album a recommendation, but I absolutely loved this tune.