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Scott Varney Monday, Sept. 8

Scott Varney at Poe's Pub Never take for granted a man who can stand in front of an audience, reach down into his soul and beatbox like a champ. Scott Varney from Williamsburg is that man. You may recognize him as the bassist in the Rachel Leyco Band. What you might not know is that Varney also moonlights as a one-man show, playing funk rock folk jams on a six-string bass. Think a more minimal Agents of Good Roots with moments of Victor Wooten, Ani DiFranco, and Bobby McFerrin. Varney brings the beat, the bass, and the groove to Poe's tonight.

9 p.m. 2706 E. Main St. (804) 648-2120 All or Nothing HC Tuesday, Sept. 9

All or Nothing HC at Nanci Raygun Renae Bryant is a tough, blonde Bettie Page riot grrrl from Southern California who teaches during the day and fronts the speed punk/hardcore band All Or Nothing HC on the side. Bryant has long been active in her town's punk scene, and started the indie zine/ label On the Rag Records. That said, I'm going to "rag" on her band a little. All Or Nothing HC is kind of hokey. When she's not heaping on hardcore imagery (lots of suffering, illusion, and fire) Bryant's giving trite motivational speeches like "What pushes you?/ What have you accomplished when the day is through?" Hmm. Well, the music is fast at least. See AONHC play tonight at the Nanci Raygun.

5 p.m. 929 W. Grace St. (804) 353-4263 Yo La Tengo Wednesday, Sept. 10

Yo La Tengo at Alley Katz Maybe you read the hilarious fake news story in The Onion about all the record store clerks being killed when the roof fell in at a Yo La Tengo concert. The point, farcical as it was, is valid: critics love Yo La Tengo, for good reason. The Hoboken Band are rightful heirs to the Velvet Underground throne, having spent the last 20 years experimenting with melody and feedback on their ambitious and bittersweet rock albums. Made up of the husband and wife team of Ira Kaplan and Georgia Hubley, and Charlottesville native James McNew, Yo La Tengo are some of the biggest and most brilliant music nerds out there. They play Alley Katz with the Aislers Set.

8 p.m. 10 Walnut Alley. (804) 643-2816 Bow Wow Thursday, Sept. 11

Bow Wow at Landmark Bow Wow, the precocious li'l G who asked us to bounce with him back in 2000, dropped his third album, Unleashed in July. The record is full of the same Bow Wow party anthems. If you've heard the single "Let's Get Down" then you get the picture. In related news, Bow Wow just got his driver's license. Who would like to wager a bet that his next record has a song title with the word "ride" in it? Bow Wow bounces at the Landmark Theater tonight.

8 p.m. 6 North Laurel Street. (804) 646-0546 Kurtis Blow Friday, Sept. 12

Kurtis Blow at Mayo Island Kurtis Blow was arguably the first successful solo rap artist. His posse at the time included future Def Jam president Russell Simmons, Run-DMC's Joe Simmons, and hitmaker DJ Grandmaster Flash, but it was Blow's suave vocal style and energy that made him explode. The song was "The Breaks," the year was 1980, and the Harlem rapper woke up to overnight rap stardom. Blow never really topped the successes of his first record (alas, those were the breaks) but he can still break it up, break it up, break it up! He'll do so tonight at the Friday Night Spread on Mayo Island with Houdini and Biz Markie.

5 p.m. 501 S. 14th St. Fatales Saturday, Sept. 13

The Fatales at Alley Katz What a show, what a show. You've got the brooding, bluesy, and dynamic music of Dark Little Rooms. You've got the ethereal, homespun goodness of rock dynamos Broken Hips. Then you've got the slinky synth sounds of D.C.'s answer to Interpol, the Fatales. There are five guys, two guitars, one cello, one keyboard, one bass, and one drum kit. The Fatales are still embryonic, but they've got killer taste and good hair. And nowadays, that's really all you need. See the Fatales and company play tonight at Alley Katz.

10 p.m. 10 Walnut Alley. (804) 643-2816 Rhonda Vincent Sunday, Sept. 14

Virginia Folk Music Association Bluegrass Festival at Chesterfield Fairgrounds The Bluegrass mothership lands in Richmond this weekend. Graymont Farm is throwing a Saturday mountain music jamboree with Del McCoury, Old School Freight Train, and Jackass Flats. The Virginia Folk Music Association is at the same time holding its annual bluegrass festival for three days at the Chesterfield Fairgrounds. Artists like Rhonda Vincent and the Rage (pictured), Charlie Waller and the Kentucky Gentlemen, the Bluegrass Brothers, and Code Blue will pick and holler Friday through Sunday. Get yourself a fried Oreo and enjoy Virginia's heritage music.

11 a.m. (804) 744-7514

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