Hey gang! jESiO here filling in for Aaditya, so bear with me.

The big thing going on is at the end of the week when Virginia Beach has their annual American Music Festival, in conjunction with the Rock-n-Roll Half Marathon. This event is a staple of Labor Day in the area and provides tons of mainstream and local music variety for free or cheap. The highlight for me is the free performance by Max Weinburg (Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band drummer and Bandleader for Late Night with Conan O’Brien). Maybe you haven’t seen Bruce & Co. because you’re not a gazillionaire or from New Jersey? This is kind of the free, slacker version.

Other bands of interest during the festival are Pat Benatar, The Village People, Gloria Gaynor, The Connells, The Verve Pipe, and the original Rhondels.

Moving on to the week in shows, Monday‘s not too happening, with The NorVa taking the night off, and slow nights at most of the local bars. William Walter & Co., a country-poppy-pretty act out of Charlottesville will be playing C.P. Shuckers. They bill themselves as high-energy folk/funk and are not to miss if you’re already fans of jambands or good, solid rock. I give them high marks.

Also playing Monday is Mike Gombas of Counterfeit Molly at Chicho’s 29^th Street. Check out a recent interview he did with AltDaily.

Rex Bonney and Aaron Evans of ARM | pic: Drew Ungvarsky

Tuesday brings Coheed and Cambria to the NorVa. There are worse things to do on a Tuesday.

My pick for this night is a lovely bike ride away, though. ARM will be at Colley Cantina. These scraggly misfits are playing what is becoming a chill weekly acoustic scene over at the best place for a sidewalk margarita in Ghent. A music collective comprised of rotating bells, guitars, drums, violin, ukelele and melodica are going to have the whole group out, which is a cool treat. If you miss this show, I have it on good authority the whole shebang will also be hitting up SPIN’s End of Summer Busking out on Colley September 3 as well.

Wednesday‘s best show is goes to Humanoids from the Deep at 37^th and Zen. Fun and beer and horror punk and silliness and beer and jumping in place—what’s not to love? And beer.

Oh yeah, some old punk named Billy Idol‘s also playing Wednesday over at nTelos Pavilion. I saw him at the NorVa a few years ago and it was really good—much better than I had expected, so if you’re trying to do it up for Hump Day, I think 80s tunes by the water are a great way to go.

Thursday‘s got a few honorable mentions as well. The Wonder Years at Club Relevant—a place you may not know of if you’re a Ghent-ite, but Relevant does worlds of good for the underage music scene in the area and should grab a little kudos from time to time. There’s also The Need hosted by Soulson at 37^th and Zen. And The Deftones and Baroness are going to be at The NorVa. If you don’t love the Deftones at least a little bit, I don’t think we can be friends anymore. This would be my show of the week, but after Thursday comes Friday and with that, comes a brand new SPIN night!!!

All our favorite local street performers are coming out. Pass the word along, the more the merrier with this. It’s not in conjunction with any other AltDaily events, and is instead a night strictly for the buskers in our area to hang out on Colley Avenue and do it up. If you’re not a performer, I hope you’ll bring some dollar bills and walking shoes and stroll the Avenue with me and the rest of your beautiful community.

There are, of course, other bands and such to see Friday. You can check one of them out after SPIN night. The Muckrakes are going to be at The Weekend Pub. For all you 30 year old women who used to love Jordan Catalano (and for you 96X nerds), 30 Seconds to Mars is at The NorVa. Lady Antebellum is at nTelos, Rude Zombie is at Jewish Mother, and Bear Crossing‘s at Hell’s Kitchen.  My pick is Bear Crossing, as seeing good indie rock in a small venue is the best way to see it.

Saturday night has a lot going on at the American Music Festival, as I mentioned above, and would really be your best bet for variety and bar-hopping like a pedestrian oughtta. If you like your aging, one-hit wonder idols in the club, however, you could always check out Tears For Fears at The NorVA instead.

Concert Going Tip:

This is good (even if you don't like the music)

Have to go to a show and you don’t want to? Either you haven’t heard of the band or you’re just plain tired? Don’t hang back. Position yourself right in the middle of some die-hard music fans. Their energy will be contagious and you’ll get into the groove in no time if the players can write decent songs. This is true if you love country but are somehow at a hip-hop show—or if you rock a mohawk and find yourself amongst the hippies. The only time this may not work is if the music itself is bad—not “not your style,” but actually bad. In this case, I separately suggest seeking out the drunkest people there and stalking them from about six feet back. You will find humor in ridiculous dance moves, adventures in coordination as the basic group hand clap becomes an act of sheer will, and plenty of sloppy make out sessions or dude-bro hugging interspersed with loud, off-key singing of lyrics. Think of the YouTube videos you could make!

(Got a band or show you want to tell me about? Make recommendations, suggestions, or simply share some witty music banter at music@altdaily.com)

Other Shows of Interest:

Monday August 30th
William Walter & Co. @ C.P. Shuckers (Roots Rock)
Synapse Defect @ Half Shell (Metal)

Mike Gombas @ 29th Street Chicho’s (Rock/Pop)
Tuesday August 31st

Coheed and Cambria @ NorVa (Alternative/Progressive/Rock)

ARM @ Colley Cantina (Acoustic/Experimental)
 

Wednesday September 1st
Billy Idol @ nTelos Pavilion (Rock)
Wale @ NorVa (Hip Hop/Rap)
Humanoids from the Deep @ 37th and Zen (Punk)

Thursday September 2nd
Deftones/Baroness @ NorVa (Metal/Rock/Industrial)
The Wonder Years @ Club Relevant (Pop Punk)
Cowboy Mouth @ Neptune Park (Rock/Southern Rock)
The Need hosted by Soulson @ 37th and Zen

Friday September 3rd
End of Summer SPIN @ Colley Avenue in Ghent (Acoustic/Awesome)

 Mink and Cheef’s Electric Band @ Marker 20 (Rock/Experimental/Progressive)
The Muckrakes @ The Weekend Pub (Alternative/Americana/Rock)
30 Seconds to Mars/Violent Soho @ NorVa (Alternative/Pop/Rock)
Plainfield Project @ Taphouse (Rock/Funk/Reggae)
Lady Antebellum @ nTelos Pavilion (Country)
Floral Terrace @ Club Relevant (Alternative/Indie/Rock)
Rude Zombie @ Jewish Mother (Ska/Jazz/Punk)
5th Element @ 37th and Zen
Gloria Gaynor/Village People @ 5th Street Beach Stage (Disco)
Poco/Foghat @ 17th Street Stage (Blues/Rock)
Orgone/WAR @ 24th Street Stage (Afro-Beat/Funk/Soul)
Camper Van Beethoven/Cracker @ 31st Street Stage (Rock/Americana/Alternative)

Saturday September 4th
Tears for Fears @ NorVa (Britpop/Rock)
The Muckrakes @ County Grill (Alternative/Americana/Rock)
SICMaN of VA @ Regal Beagle (Experimental/Progressive/Psychedelic)
Delbert McClinton/Chicago @ 5th Street Stage (Blues/Classic Rock)
Ben Phelps Project @ 27th Street Stage (Acoustic/Pop Rock)
Bear Crossing @ Hell’s Kitchen  (Indie/Alternative Rock)

Sunday September 5th
Freedom Hawk @ C.P. Shuckers (Country/Southern Rock)
Pat Benatar/REO Speedwagon @ 5th Street Stage (Rock/Powerpop)
Verve Pipe/Fastball @ 17th Street Stage (Rock)
Rich Whiskey Audtion @ 22nd Street Stage (Rock/Funk/Jazz)