The Gaither Vocal Band featuring, from left, Wes Hampton, Bill Gaither, David Phelps, Mark English and Mark Lowry, will be among the acts appearing April 27 at Richmond Coliseum.

If you missed the Gaither Homecoming Tour when it stopped at the Patriot Center in Fairfax for a Christmas show in December, you have another opportunity this month.

Bill Gaither, who has written Christian standards such as “He Touched Me” and “There’s Something About That Name,” is bringing a caravan of talent to the Richmond Coliseum on April 27 at 7 p.m. for an evening of Southern Gospel and laughter.

Gaither, a seven-time Grammy winner, will host the event that offers a line-up that includes the heavenly harmonies of the Gaither Vocal Band – Mark Lowry, Michael English, David Phelps, Wes Hampton and Gaither – as well as The Martins, The Isaacs, Charlotte Ritchie, Gene McDonald, Gordon Mote and Kevin Williams.

If this month’s event is anything like the one in December, you will leave, as I did, awed by the amount of talent assembled on one stage and understand why people flock to buy the Homecoming Tour’s concert videos and CDs. It’s an experience you want to relive.

Tickets are available online through gaither.com, by phone at 800-745-3000 or at the Coliseum box office. For group rates, call 804-592-3401.

–Pamela Gould

The race is on for local punk legend to find solo project funding

BY BEN SELLERS

Dave Smalley in his early days with Boston band DYS (photo by Gail Rush)

Local music often boils down to the here and now: What band is playing The Otter House tonight? Who is at Colonial Tavern? What is Fredericksburg All Ages doing? Each week, music lovers scour the Sounds In Town calendar to make their choices about whom to go out and support.

But walking right here among us are also scores of musical greats who made the decision along the way to bow out of the rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle and take a regular 9-to-5 job … well, sort of.

One of those regular working Joes is Dave Smalley. Many readers of the paper are already familiar with his story: Dave was part of several well-known punk bands in the Boston, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. scenes of the ’80s and ’90s before settling down in Fredericksburg. Here, he became a beloved institution for many Free Lance-Star readers as the paper’s youth editor, opinion columnist and–until this past fall–the Weekender editor.

Somehow through it all, Dave has been able to continue touring and pursuing various musical projects, which include the bands Dag Nasty and Down By Law. While Dave is currently working for the armed services in Fairfax, all the Sirius XM he’s listening to on his daily commute from Stafford must have been a source of inspiration for his latest project, a solo album called Punk Rock Days.

Although Dave began laying down tracks earlier this year in an Arlington studio, financing the project (and still managing to feed, shelter, clothe and school his four kids) is no easy task. Thus, Dave created a page on Kickstarter to raise $6,000 for the new project. The only catch: He has until January 11 to raise it or lose it all. (If he misses the deadline, Kickstarter will not process any of the pledges.)

With help from high-profile friends such as Blink 182′s Tom Delonge, Dave recently passed the two-thirds mark in his fundraising. However, he still needs to raise a little under $2,000 as of this posting.

Even for those unfamiliar with Dave’s exploits in the worlds of punk rock, journalism or Stafford citizenry, there is something in it for you if you donate. “Rewards” for pledges include everything from stickers and copies of the new album to a liner-note shout out—or, for $1,000 and up, even having Dave write and record a song about the person of your choice. (May I recommend having him write a love song about Nancy Pelosi…)

Of course, being a part of the past, present and future of a great musical endeavor may be reward enough for some.

For more information on how to get involved, visit  Dave’s Kickstarter page or check out the video:

Check this article in the Bullet (The University of Mary Washington student newspaper since 1922) for the details, but our local university has scored a pretty killer Halloween concert–Kreayshawn and Neon Indian.

Kreayshawn is a goofy internet meme come to life, best known for the song “Gucci, Gucci” and starting a feud with larger-than-life tough guy Rick Ross. Her fame grows each time the media and offended people point out that she’s white.

Neon Indian is a much more interesting artist, with some legitimate psychedelic-electronic rock chops and a critically acclaimed album called “Psychic Chasms.”

The concert apparently was scheduled after some irate students at Smith College in Massachusetts petitioned against Kreayshawn because “she is blatantly racist, and has repeatedly mocked both people of color, and black culture.” The date opened up and UMW’s Giant Productions snapped it up.

According to Giant’s tumblr, the show will take place in Great Hall Monday night, and is only open to UMW students.

Kreayshawn: Rich Whore

Neon Indian: Deadbeat Summer

(This is a response to Ben Sellers’ earlier post. Read it here.)

Ben -

With all (OK, some) respect, calling Hank Jr.’s latest liberal bait “art” is a bit of a stretch. “Keep the Change” is just Hank being Hank, which these days means doing whatever he can to cling to some relevance in the entertainment world. With this song, he has officially reached Michaele Salahi territory.

How the mighty have fallen. Hank Jr. dominated the country charts in the 1980s. Sure, it was a pretty weak decade for country, but he was a true mega-star, charting top-10 hit after top-10 hit. His message resonated with the public at the time, and that public seemed to crave nonsense about how much better things are in the south than they are in scary places that aren’t the south. Hank Jr. proposed it thusly: go to the country (especially in the south) and you get drunk, stoned and laid; go to the city and you get stabbed.

Don’t get me wrong, I love me some Bocephus. Who doesn’t want to hear songs about whiskey and loose women? But his fear-mongering is commendable only in how hilariously it panders to the same contingent that locks screen doors to keep the serial rapists out. And some of his hits were downright insane. Listened to “If the South Woulda Won” recently? It reached #8 in 1988.

It’s nice to know he’s still out there, keeping America safe from “gotcha” journalists. If Hank were really as badass as he thinks he is, he wouldn’t be afraid of politicians, religion or FOX and Friends. He’d be skinning bucks and running trotlines.

Clinging to my big V8,

Jonas

BY BEN SELLERS

Hank Williams Jr.

For some fans, it may have been a bitter pill to swallow when two of their favorite things–Hank Williams Jr. and Monday Night Football—experienced creative differences over Bocephus’ political commentary on Fox and Friends two weeks ago.

But in true Hank form, the country rebel didn’t let a little blowback over his Bidenesque comments get him down—he turned it into art.

Bocephus’ latest song, “Keep the Change,” which is available for free preview and download at his website, HankJr.com, takes on everyone: ESPN, Fox, and, of course, the United Socialist States of America.

Shocked? You shouldn’t be. After all, he’s previously taken on everyone from Saddam Hussein (“Don’t Give Us a Reason“) to Ronald Reagan (“The American Dream”). Come to think of it, if Hank Jr. put his foot in his mouth every time someone told him to, well, he wouldn’t be Hank Jr.

And in the long run, whether you love the song or hate it, you should applaud the free speech it represents…..

That’s my opinion. What’s yours? Vote in the poll below, leave a message, or send Jonas all your angry comments at sounds@freelancestar.com.

Every time I heard the Katy Perry song “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F. ),” something about the saxophone solo struck me as familiar. You know what I’m talking about. Yep. It sounds a lot like the sax solo (and the vocals) from the “Soul Glo” commercial from the movie “Coming to America.”

Wouldn’t you agree?

The “T.G.I.F.” sax solo starts at 3:55

And the Soul Glo version:

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And despite his appearance in the “T.G.I.F.” video, Kenny G does not play the sax solo on the record. Bummer.

Each week, I try to give you something good to do with your time and ears.

Monday: Stephen Stills at the Birchmere
I’ll just throw it out there: Stills may be the most underrated guitar god in rock history. Take a minute to look at his bio, and you realize that a lot of incredible music would never have happened without him. And while Crosby, Stills & Nash may have lost a step in their live shows, Stills still shreds.

Here’s one from his Manassas days (the band, not the town):

Tuesday: The Former Champions at Cary St. Cafe
An up-and-coming jam band from Richmond with a love for the jazzy, the Phishy and the far-out.

Wednesday: Sam Bush at The Barns at Wolftrap
Simply one of the greatest acoustic musicians alive today. One of my favorite musical memories is seeing Bush play at a Ricky Skaggs’ Wolftrap pickin’ party. He fronted the all-star jam, playing fiddle with Skaggs on mandolin, Bela Fleck on banjo, Tony Rice on guitar, Jerry Douglas on Dobro and Victor Wooten on bass. That’s what I remember, anyway. It was incredible.

Here’s Sam doing some Dylan:

Thursday: Easton Corbin at The National
One of the new crop of country hunks. He has the sort of smooth twang and aw-shucks demeanor that George Strait does. Well, sort of.

Friday: Tony Bennett at the Warner Theater
You can’t miss with one of the greatest voices in popular American music. He can still wring the feeling out of songbook standards, and his concerts are a little history lesson in the composers and songwriters who wrote some truly lasting tunes.

Saturday: Loretta Lynn with Southern Culture on the Skids
Go for Loretta Lynn, stay for Southern Culture on the Skids. I love Loretta however I can get her–solo, with Conway Twitty or with Jack White.

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But I really love Southern Culture on the Skids. Especially when they had Chris “Crispy” Bess on keys.

Where’s my Captain’s Wafers?

Sunday: G. Love & Special Sauce at The Jefferson Theater
G. Love will be playing all over the area this weekend, so if Sunday doesn’t work for you, check his schedule. This is certainly one of the most difficult bands to slap a genre label on. Hip-hop? Funk? Folk? Who cares?

Check out “Rock Creek Park” by Oddisee.

I learned about this album from the Washington Post’s Click Track Blog. It’s nicely mellow–don’t let the harder hip-hop of the first track “Still Doing It” bias you if it’s not your cup of tea. The rest of the album is a sweet combination of jazz, funk and indie experimentation.

Each week, I try to give you something good to do with your time and ears.

Monday: Thomas Dolby at The Loft (D.C.)
That’s right–the man behind ’80s hit “She Blinded me with Science.” Admit it, you have a soft spot for early synth-pop.
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