The Scene

Regan

The lovely and talented Regan is still playing JM Randall's in Williamsburg every Sunday night with Andrew Winn and J.C. Kuhl of Agents of Good Roots , Steve Barber, and occasionally drummer Jay Tobey. On July 30, though, they move the gathering to Mio's Pizza in the West End.

Regan is putting a lot of miles on her vocal chords. Her July schedule includes gigs at the Artful Dodger in Harrisonburg, Miller's and Michael's in Charlottesville, and Lisa's Pizzeria in Rodanthe.



Despite their record label cutting them loose and a change in drummers, The Waking Hours slug on. They'll be playing the International Pop Overthrow Festival at the El Rey Theatre in Los Angeles with Kara's Flowers and the Cowsills, July 30. With their retro sound, that shouldn't be too bad. August 19, they move on to the Culture Shock Festival in Wilmington, N.C. Between those two dates, they'll be at Friday Cheers on Brown's Island, Aug. 4.



We recommended Burnt Taters' "Strange But True" in this space, and let us add Used Carlotta's "Reckless Wheels" to that list of must-buys. If you think clear, audible, understandable, story-telling vocals hit the spot, both these albums will fulfill your needs.

Used Carlotta's "Reckless Wheels"

Used Carlotta has been around since 1993. The only original members are frontman Louis Ledford and drummer Roger Wright. Violinist John Skrobiszewski is a long-timer, though. The last time I interviewed this band, we were apprehended by the police while going out for fondue, so you can take it from there.

This album has eight new originals and a cover of Jimmie Rogers' "Nobody Knows But Me." Also playing are Curtis Mills, Rusty Farmer, Penn Farmer, and Zip Irvin.



The Big Gig is still going on, putting bands in strange places, like Debo Dabney and the Happy Band at the James Center at noon, Robert Jospe and Inner Rhythm at Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens at 7 p.m., Thursday, July 13, Plunky and Oneness at Battery Park at 7 p.m., and jazz jam orchestra The Devil's Workshop at Brown's Island at 7 p.m., followed by the movie, "Wizard of Oz." It's all free.

Not so free are Terry Garland at Poe's Pub playing hometown Delta blues, Cook County Bluegrass at Cary Street Café, and Modern Groove Syndicate at Alley Katz.



Friday, July 14, Brown's Island hosts guitar wizards J. Geils, Duke Robillard , and Gerry Beaudoin , while local band Gary Gerloff opens. The Nashville Bluegrass Band is at the VCU Performing Arts Center at 8 p.m. Tickets for that performance are $15.

Submerge

Submerge , the Fan's favorite band in the July issue of the Richmond Music Journal host their CD release party at Twisters Saturday at an all-ages show starting at 7 p.m. Sharing the bill is J. Rawls and Säu . J. Rawls includes members of Lazycain . Submerge's new album is "East, Meet West." The door is $5.

Playing in unusual places are Fattburger at Kanawha Plaza at 6 p.m., Burnt Taters at the James Center at noon, Skip Gailes Emsemble at the Ukrop's across from Chesterfield Towne Center at 12:30 p.m., Bacchanal at the Turning Basin by LaDifférence at 12:30 p.m., the Richmond Jazz Society Ensemble at Target on Libbie and Broad at 12:30 p.m., the U.S. Army Blues Jazz Ensemble at Westminster Canterbury at 7 p.m., and Eileen Edmonds at Starbucks Midlothian in the evening. Superboot , in the lead to be the favorite band in the upcoming August issue of the Richmond Music Journal, shares the stage with the Jason Kagle Band at Boulevard Deli, Friday night.



Saturday is one of Three Chopt Sports Grill's really big shows with more bands than you can shake a drumstick at. See Sataday Session, Choke Chain, Pink Salmon, Backwoods Billy, Bad Mama Jamas, Queetus, Stolen Roses, and the Jason Kagle Band , starting at noon. Whistler's Mother , a longtime Cary Street Café favorite who played every Friday there for over a year, does a reunion show with Mudhen at Boulevard Deli. The noodle dancers remaining at Cary Street can see Juggling Suns or noodle favorite Solid Gold Fishbowl at Alley Katz, sharing the stage with Groove Collective .

Over at Brown's Island, the Big Gig continues with Nathan and the Zydeco Cha Chas , Janet Bunnett and the Spirits of Havana , and Awareness Art Ensemble . Gee, I wonder what kind of music that all is.

Agents of Good Roots

The Big Gig continues to spread out the bands during the week, with Janet Martin at Brown's Island at noon, Monday, July 17, the Devil's Workshop at Agecroft Hall at 7 p.m., and Glennroy & Company at Bryan Park, also at 7 p.m.

Tuesday, Big Patt & Legion play Brown's Island at noon, Patchwork is at the Happy Cook on Grove Avenue at 12:30 p.m., and Carlton Blount and the Total Control Band are at Asbner Clay Park at 7 p.m. Big Patt opened for Roberta Flack last week, so if you saw them then and liked them, here's a second chance if you can get off work.

Wednesday, Delbert McClinton is at Innsbrook Pavilion, Trademark is at 12th and Main at 12:15 p.m., Martha Reeves and the Vandellas are at Brown's Island at 8 p.m., Ban Caribe are at Brown's Island at noon, and Jim Dudley and the Chez Roue Orchette play Wilton House at 7 p.m. The Martha Reeves show is a $5 ticket, at the gate only, and the island opens at 6:30 p.m.

McClinton, of course, is the guy who taught John Lennon the harmonica riff that grew into The Beatles' first British hit, "Love Me Do," and you've heard that story a million times because it follows McClinton like a shadow.

There's odd ambient folk music going on at Poe's Pub starting at 9 p.m. with Leslie Ritter and Scott Petito , with locals Cecil Hooker and Coby Batty opening.

And Agents of Good Roots are making their Wednesday night stand at Alley Katz. Even though Wednesday doesn't seem the best night of the week to have a regular gig, Dave Matthews did it at the Flood Zone for years before he broke huge, and there's a mystique about it that many local bands with a fairly sturdy following are trying to repeat. So far it hasn't been a springboard for anyone else ...