Richmond has one of the most exciting local scenes in the country, and this Friday, January 16th, two of Richmond’s most entertaining bands will play DC’s Black Cat mainstage, complimented brilliantly by DC local M.H. & His Orchestra, for what is sure to be one of the tightest, most energetic, and interesting lineups of the year.  

People’s Blues of Richmond (or "PBR") are already well known to many. They’re a psychadelic blues power trio, like (early) Led Zeppelin from the Dirty South. Crazy-tight and loud, they deliver the energy live, and their fans are wonderful and almost as entertaining. I saw them on a pirate boat on the Potomac a few months ago, and it was easily the best show of the year.

M.H. & His Orchestra is wild and chill at the same time. Like a lot of the music I love from Richmond, they mix the cheesy, the dirty, and excellent musicianship into weird pop perfection, making them the perfect group to sandwich between two bands from RVA. M.H. is psychadelia and lounge music and soundscapes and fearless arrangements. Every listen puts a smile on my face, and each song is a unique surprise.

Toxic Moxie describe themsevles as "disco punk," and, while apt, that description doesn’t express the balls-out freakshow awesomness of this band. Toxic Moxie‘s super sexyness sneaks up on you, ’cause they come at you super weird. I want to watch this band and dance and do unsavory things until the sun comes up. And they’re opening the show. Like booster rockets.

Do it. Friday January 16th, Black Cat. Doors at 9. $12 adv/$15 day of.  –Natan Press

Milk Dick are not the first rock band to refer to sperm in their name (Pearl Jam and Thin White Rope come to mind, which had slightly more subtle monikers). But subtlety of course is not what Milk Dick is about. Compared to their 2012, five minute/four song long debut EP, The Brooklyn trio’s debut full length "It grows on you" (released in September 2014) refines their lo-fi comedy-rock in a more mellow psychedelic and at times even folky direction, without diluting the fun. Taking cues from Ween’s hilarious early years, Butthole Surfers mad first records, and – of course – Pavement’s "Slanted and Enchanted," Milk Dick incorporates a fair amount of swearing, moaning, laughing and even burping in their lyrics, which unexpectedly tackle all sorts of dark content, ranging from the paradox of religion (‘Rhythm Rock‘) to the fear of growing up (‘Cry When You Are Young‘) to the self-inflicted pains of body image problems ("Makeup Makeup"). If you like provocation as much as we do, you should check these guys out. Look out for a video and a new album in 2015.

NYC’s Millsted – a band we discovered in our Year End Best of NYC Poll open submissions – are something else, dabbling in the NYHC scene but really embracing shoegaze and noise rock through and through. Their latest record, ‘Harlem,’ is a self-proclaimed "attempt to aggressively break the ice of censored social commentary." Listen to the record’s highlight track ‘Coyote’ below, which seems to take a lesson or two from Mars Volta, Fugazi and Rage Against the Machine, with an even more aggressive vocal approach. The vocals and percussion throughout the album pack an in-your-face punch that not even last week’s freezing 9 degree NYC weather could match. Things will get heated at The Gutter in Williamsburg on February 21.  – Michael Haskoor (@Tweetskoor)