“Whatever type of music you play, whether it be Mexican folk music or rock & roll, if you’re sincere, what you are projecting has life and joy.”

Carlos Santana has been bringing that sense of joy to peoples lives for the last 40+ years, and if you’ll allow him, he just might for you on Tuesday night at the Virginia Beach Amphitheater.

Santana.

Anyone can pick up a guitar and learn to play, but it is the rare soul that can open himself up to the heavens and become a conduit for something greater which pours through his fingertips and into the strings of his guitar.

Furthermore, there are only a handful of musicians that have such a unique, signature style that upon hearing a solo from them, you can say without a doubt who the artist is. Ten time Grammy Award winner Santana is certainly one of those individuals. Opening for him is Steve Winwood, of Blind Faith and Traffic fame, and he ain’t no joke either. As an added bonus, if you get 3 friends together, you can grab a four pack of lawn tickets for $84, or $21/ticket, a savings of $22 per person off the regular lawn ticket price. I’m not quite sure how any music fan could pass up a deal like that, with an act of this stature, but if you figure it out, let me know.

We have California-based indie band, Rogue Wave, performing at the NorVa Wednesday evening for $16/advance ticket. They are currently on a national tour in support of their most recent album, Permalight, and their first on Jack Johnson’s records label, Brushfire Records. They were previously on the Sub Pop label, famous for working with such acts as Nirvana, Built to Spill, The Shins, Death Cab for Cutie, Fruit Bats, Handsome Furs,  Fleet Foxes, Iron and Wine, etc. Actually, if you like Band of Horses, also of Sub Pop, I’m pretty sure you’ll like these guys, as they have a similar sound.

Thursday presents a bit of a dilemma for Virginia Beach music fans, as you have two great shows going on within a half mile of each other. At the Jewish Mother you have the Joe Krown Trio, made up of Joe Krown on keys, Walter “Wolfman” Washington on guitar, and Russell Batiste, Jr. (of the funky Meters ) on drums, all three incredibly talented musicians from the great city of New Orleans.

Zach sure seems like an amiable fellow, eh?

Seven blocks down Pacific Ave. though you’ve got Zach Deputy playing at Doc Taylor’s Seaside Lounge. He’s a one man band in the same style as Keller Williams in that he sets up and builds upon loops through vocals, guitar, drum machines, and various percussive instruments, often creating hypnotic grooves that will without a doubt get your booty shaking on the dance floor. Those that know me, know I am a big time New Orleans music fan, from the jazz to the funk, I dig it all. So for me to say I’m going to pick a show over a group like Joe Krown Trio means quite a bit, making Zach Deputy my show of the week, although honestly, you couldn’t go wrong with either choice.

New York City’s Interpol makes their first appearance in the area since the fall of 2007, again at the NorVa, and as last time, this promises to be a big time show. In addition to songs off their first three albums, I highly anticipate getting a preview of a few new tracks off their fourth studio album, the self-titled Interpol, scheduled for release in September. Tickets, as of this writing, are still available but I would try and get yours as soon possible if you haven’t because this show will sell out, and come on now, who doesn’t love a sold out show at the NorVa?

Also going on Friday night, Quiver will be playing at Jewish Mother. Originally formed in 1994, Quiver is made up of local cats Jason Bruner (drums, vocals), David Fulford (keys), Rob Lord (bass, vocals), and Vasili Simmons (guitar, vocals). They play mostly originals, but do cover your typical jamband standards from the Allman Brothers Band to Led Zeppelin. Although they stopped playing on a regular basis in approximately 1999, they do still get together for a handful of gigs every once in awhile, most recently playing at the Outer Banks Brewing Station in Kill Devil Hills and Smilefest, which Keller Williams sat in on. If you’re a jamband fan, this is the show you want to be at this week.

They'll like long division in every way except they don't suck. (Photo | Jonathan McLarty)

Saturday night, I’d recommend heading over the the Taphouse for the local sounds of CHURN with Long Division and The Fighting Jamesons. Although CHURN doesn’t gig as much as once before, they have been playing locally for close to twenty years, and sounds similar to Dinosaur, Jr. and the Pixies. With Long Division, which has been compared to Explosions in the Sky, and The Fighting Jamesons, similar to Drop Kick Murphys, can you think of a better way to end the week? I think not, see you at some shows.

Concert Going Tip:

Know the commercial wherever everyone is going through a line using their debit card, and it’s running smooth, like clockwork until someone tries to pay with cash? That’s not how it works at shows. It’s actually the opposite. Bring CASH! You know you’re going to want a nice tall cold one, or get something to grub on at setbreak. Take the extra 5 minutes BEFORE heading to the show to hit up your bank, or an ATM, because the lines at the venue are going to be longer than the bathroom line, and you’ll regret the service charges your bank and the other institution are going to hit you with. Might as well be prepared.

Other Shows of Interest:

Monday July 26th
Carnival of Madness (Shinedown/Chevelle/Puddle of Mudd/Sevendust) @ Virginia Beach Amphitheater (Rock/Alternative/Hardcore)

Tuesday July 27th
Santana/Steve Winwood @ Virginia Beach Amphitheater (Classic Rock/Latin/Blues)

Wednesday July 28th
Rogue Wave @ NorVa (Indie/Rock/Lo-Fi)

Thursday July 29th
Zach Deputy @ Doc Taylors Seaside Lounge (Funk/Acoustic/Reggae)
Joe Krown Trio (Joe Krown, Walter “Wolfman” Washington, Russell Batiste)@ Jewish Mother (Funk/Blues/R&B)
The Influence @ Lunasea (Alternative/Rock)
American Idol Live! @ Virginia Beach Amphitheater (Pop/Rock)

Friday July 30th
Canibus @ 37th and Zen (Hip-Hop/Rap)
Honda Civic Tour (Paramore/Reliant K/New Found Glory/Kadawatha) @ Ted Constant Convocation Center (Pop/Punk/Rock)
Cypress Hill/Slightly Stoopid @ nTelos Pavilion (Rap/Hip-Hop/Reggae)
Interpol/Twin Tigers/Audiostrobelight @ NorVa (Indie/Post-Punk Revival/Rock)
Becoming the Archetype @ Club Relevant (Metal)
Quiver @ Jewish Mother (Jam/Rock)
Rascall Flatts/Kellie Pickler/Chris Young @ Virginia Beach Amphitheater (Country)

Saturday July 31st
CHURN/Long Division/The Fighting Jamesons @ Taphouse (Indie/Alternative/