Monday, April 21
Mushroomhead at Alley Katz
Formed in 1993 in Cleveland, Ohio, this group plays some heavy electro-industrial songs. They adopted "X-Face" masks for their musical identity but don't refer to them as being like Slipknot. Mush-Head will be playing with Saint Diablo, Human Factors Lab, Silent Weapons For Quiet Wars, Three Ways To Nowhere, Choke Chain, and Seraph. This is a BIG show for the money. $14 in advance or $16 at the door. All ages show. 6 p.m.
Tuesday, April 22
Collective Soul at The National
Just good ole fashioned classic alternative rock. If you think back to mid-nineties radio, back when The Buzz was still on the air in Richmond, you heard such bands like Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains and….Collective Soul, the latter being one of the last remaining bands that still makes good, decipherable, new music. Touring in support of their seventh studio album Afterwards, which was released in August of last year, these guys still bring spirituality through sound. Josh Kelly and the Whitest Lights open the show. $20 general admission. All ages show. 7 p.m.
Alesana at The Canal Club
Originally beginning in Baltimore but officially setting their roots in Raleigh, N.C., this is Tragic Hero Records' first signed band. The title of their soon coming album, due June 3 this year, is also to the title of their present tour, Where Myth Fades To Legend. The show includes Sky Eats Airplane, Lovehatehero, Our Last Night and The Chariot. $12 in advance or $14 at the door. 21 and older. 6 p.m.
Wednesday, April 23
The Used at Innsbrook After Hours
Touring for their latest album, Lies For The Liars, this band is unyielding with enthusiasm, most likely due to destroying their conservative Utah cultural boundaries as rebelling singer Bert McCacken says. $15 in advance or $20 at the door. All ages show. 6 p.m.
Thursday, April 24
Mensrea's CD Release Party at The Canal Club
DISCLAIMER: This show is not for wimps. Mensrea is one of Richmond's most progressive and top-rated metal bands and consists of GWAR guitarists Cory Smoot (a.k.a. Flattus Maximus) and Nate Krishna (a.k.a. Slave Dogg). They have been working through their American tour and are playing here to throw a release bash for the latest album, Media Coil Inerupt. Mensrea is on tour with Chalkline Beauty and will be playing Thursday with Dysphasia and Ends In Fire. $6 general admission. 21 and older. 8:30 p.m.
Friday, April 25
Jerry Douglas at The National
"Flux," as many know Mr. Douglas due to his amazing speed with a slide, is an amazing American-bluegrass dobro player. For those who may not know what in the world a dobro is, think of the slide guitar solo in Lynyrd Skynyrd's The Ballad of Curtis Loew. Jerry has played on more than 1,000 albums with artists from Ray Charles to Phish. Also performing with him will be The Wrights. $15 general admission. All ages show. 8 p.m.
Saturday, April 26
A New Dawn Fades at Highwater Restaurant in Toad's Place
This instrumental duo between a guitarist and a drummer is known for sticking to the road. By letting the performance start itself so to speak, they create a cryptic jam session that is in between rock, jazz and experimental sounds. They are ending their last show of the tour back here at home in Richmond to conclude the tour of their latest album, I See The Nightbirds. $5 general admission. All ages show. 8 p.m.
Pantera Tribute Band at Alley Katz
Also performing with them is New Level, Saint Diablo and Seperation. $10 in advance or $12 at the door. 18 and older. 10 p.m.
Sunday, April 27
The B-52's at The National
The National is going to be a Love Shack on Sunday, baby. They have come a long way from the start as a drunken first performance in a Chinese restaurant in 1977 to having a No. 1 hit for eight weeks in Australia in 1990. The colorful group is touring for their latest album, Funplex, which was released in late March. The B-52's will also be appearing with Eagle Seagull. $37.50 general admission. All ages show. 7 p.m.