Category Archives: Music

Music, The Features
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ShamrockFest is Coming

Photo courtesy of
‘DSCF5844’
courtesy of ‘joelogon’

It’s hard to believe that winter’s nearly over. Monday marks the calendar switch to March, and there’s just three more weeks of foul nastiness before we turn the corner on Spring, which will be a fantastically wonderful sight for all of us who’ve spent the last four weeks staring at ever-present snowbanks. It’s enough to dream of blooming cherry trees, days spent at the park over a grill, surely, but what about getting some celebrating done?

Enter ShamrockFest at RFK on March 13. It’s your standard outdoor arena concert that runs all day, features about a dozen national and regional acts, and is generally a good excuse to get out of the house for a day. This year’s lineup features area darlings Carbon Leaf and Scythian, as well as Canada’s Enter the Haggis (whom I have on good authority from a friend in upstate New York kick more ass than Chuck Norris in a room full of midgets), as well as national touring acts The Roots and Train.

So here’s the deal, we have a pair of VIP passes to give away, so leave a comment below (remembering to use a good email address, as that’s how we’ll reach you) and we’ll pick a winner by the end of next week. One important thing to remember: VIP passes come with all the beer you can drink (provided you do so responsibly.) so you must be 21 to win, and Shamrockfest will be checking your ID.

Regular tickets can also be purchased for $24.99 right now, and VIP passes can be bought for $69.99. So, drop off a comment here, and enter to win! We’ll see you there.

Music, The Daily Feed
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Reminder: DMB at Nationals Park on Sale Tomorrow

Photo courtesy of
‘Nationals Park in the Snow’
courtesy of ‘Rukasu1’

The perfect distraction from the passing thought of more flurries is the dream of summer in our fair district. With the Nats’ home slate and potential debut of a pitcher Rachel (and apparently team) are embracing as “Jesus,” Half Street will be a hot spot all through the dog days.

In addition to the usual baseball, as announced late last month, Dave Matthews Band will be hitting the field once graced by the Pope and Billy Joel (not simultaneously that I’m aware of) for an excellent mid-summer concert. Tickets for the July 23rd concert go on sale tomorrow morning, and with support from the increasingly popular Zac Brown Band plus the appeal of Nationals Park concert, you can be sure they will go quickly.

The link to the public sale was a little bit of a challenge to find, but this Live Nation page should be updated at 10 a.m. tomorrow when the tickets open up. With any hope, any additional snow will be gone by July, but I’ll leave that prognostication to the Capital Weather Gang.

Entertainment, Music, We Love Music
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We Love Music: Editors @ 9:30 Club 2/21/10

EDITORS_BWPrint5web_medium
courtesy of Editors

Editors made a glorious return to the 9:30 Club on Sunday night playing to a sold-out house of enthusiastic fans and soon-to-be converts. These dark, Brit-pop masters treated the crowd to a set mixing their passion-fueled back-catalog with their synth-focused latest, “In This Light and On This Evening“. The transitions between the new and old songs were not always the smoothest, but the sheer power and presence of one of the best performing bands around was more than enough to carry the crowd and the evening.

I have seen Editors on every tour and was particularly taken with their debut opening stint for Stellastarr* back in 2006. Since then Editors have put out a second great album of passion-pop, seen a ground-swell in popularity, and most recently embraced a dramatic stylistic shift on their new album. I don’t think anyone was expecting their hard left-turn into synth territory but it does not feel entirely out-of-place either. Tom Smith’s deep vocal style and the band’s over-all darker tone adjusts pretty easily from their trademark guitar to the new album’s near Gothic synth. That doesn’t mean I wasn’t skeptical going into Sunday’s concert. In fact I was not really sold on this synth-shift based on my album-play-through and I was hoping for this concert to provide me a final verdict on how I really felt about it.
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Entertainment, Music, We Love Music
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We Love Music: Tortoise @ The Black Cat 2/16/10

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courtesy of Tortoise

Indie-rock elder statesmen Tortoise played the Black Cat on Tuesday night and treated the modest-sized crowd to a set that was representative of their career modus operandi. Somehow their set managed to be simultaneously laid-back and intense in a way that was as mind-boggling as it was enjoyable. Covering the lion’s share of their latest album “Beacons Of Ancestorship” Tortoise once again displayed their utter mastery of genre collision and band member inter-play.

A lot of articles online hail Tortoise as the “godfathers of Post-Rock” and while I don’t particularly agree* I do recognize and enjoy the sea-change impact that they had on indie rock in the mid-1990’s. No one on the indie landscape does quite what Tortoise does in practice or in sound. They are the ultimate instrument playing genre colliders. Tortoise does with instruments what DJs can only dream of doing with an arsenal of samplers; Tortoise swallows difficult genres (Jazz, Krautrock, Prog-Rock, Dub, Punk, the list goes on…) and reconstitutes them into insane progressive mash-ups that evoke their influences in brilliant, discordant, and challenging ways. The fact that they can do all that and still lay down a deeply enjoyable jam is Tortoise’s own special brand of genius.
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Music, Night Life, The Daily Feed
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DC9 Turns 6!

Photo courtesy of
‘Opal Restaurant in Santa Barbara 102409Sa’
courtesy of ‘vmiramontes’

Local music lovers agree — DC9 is an institution when it comes to intimate venues to hear live acts in this city. And today, DC9 turns six!

Go celebrate with some of DC9’s biggest fans tonight at 9 with the Liberation Dance Party DJs. There will be an open bar from 9-10:30 with rail cocktails only.

The cover is $7 at the door and it’s 21+ to party.

Music, The Daily Feed
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Dave Matthews Comes to Nats Park This Summer

Photo courtesy of
‘Dave Matthews Band’
courtesy of ‘andinarvaez’

Nationals Park announced this afternoon that you won’t have to suffer in transportation hell in order to go see Dave Matthews Band at Nissan Pavilion Jiffy Lube Live or Merriwether Post Pavilion. Instead, Dave Matthews Band, and their opener Zac Brown Band, will be playing at Nats Park on July 23rd, this summer. Tickets will go on sale at the end of February.

This will be the second concert event at Nats Park, and probably the most crowded since the Pope said mass there in 2008.

Entertainment, Essential DC, Life in the Capital, Music, People, The Daily Feed
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Let’s Hear It For DC!!!

I was listening to Metro on Connection‘s report on this past weekend’s 2010 Orginial DMV Music Awards show, and I was pleasantly surprised to hear this DC remix of the Jay-Z/Alicia Keyes “Empire State of Mind” by Eezy Money.  The song titled “Capital Conscience” calls out Mumbo sauce, the Skins/Nats/Wizards poor seasons and features a  DC montage music video.

Well worth sharing.

Music, We Love Music
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We Love Music: The Cribs @ 9:30 Club 1/19/10*

cribs
courtesy of The Cribs.

The Cribs treated DC to a fantastic evening of guitar-driven Brit-pop at the 9:30 Club on Tuesday night. Sporting their new 4-man line-up (now including pop-guitar legend Johnny Marr) The Cribs impressed and entertained the crowd of die-hard fans with a set heavily featuring material from their two most recent (and best) albums. While they did not stray very far from their musical comfort zone, the band did put on a dazzling display of their strengths that made for one of the most fun shows I have seen hit DC in quite some time.

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Entertainment, Music, Night Life, The Daily Feed
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Savoir Adore At The Velvet Lounge – Friday

Friday Night @ Velvet Lounge

If you’ve been searching far and wide for  “that ultra-catchy sound that you’ve always wanted” to hear but couldn’t seem to find, go see one of  L Magazine‘s “8 NYC Bands You Need To Hear in 2009” tomorrow night at the Velvet Lounge.

Savoir Adore started out as a two-piece band featuring singer-songwriter Deidre Muro on keyboards and Paul Hammer on drums but is up to a six-man roster, complete with female vocals (compliments of Sasha Brown).

Savoir Adore is joined by fellow rockers Ra Ra Rasputin & Bellflur.

Doors open at 9, show starts 10. It’s 21+ with an $8 cover.

Photo by Rachel Levitin.

Music, The Features, We Love Music
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We Love Music: Adam Franklin & The Bolts of Melody @ DC9 1/6/10


courtesy of Adam Franklin

On Wednesday night, DC9 played host to Adam Franklin & The Bolts of Melody as they made DC the second stop of their month-long American tour. The small venue proved the ideal spot to observe and enjoy Franklin’s guitar alchemy and emotional vocal delivery up close and personal. The band put on a really special set for the modest-sized crowd of Swervedriver fan-boys and guitar-geeks who braved the winter’s chill to catch this mid-week show.

This is where every review and article on the planet about The Bolts of Melody offers a quick rundown of Adam Franklin‘s prolific career. If you don’t know the man you can read about Swervedriver (personal favs of mine), the interesting Toshack Highway project, and Magnetic Morning on your own dime. For our purposes what is really important is that after many years of self-imposed exile from effects-pedal, guitar work Adam Franklin, one of the very best, has returned.
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Adventures, Entertainment, Music
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The Five Best Concerts In And Around DC For 2009


courtesy of ‘bormang2’

One of the things that I am most excited about my return to blogging is that I have the opportunity to continue my year-end tradition of recapping the best concerts that I saw in and around the DC area.

For the uninitiated, this is a list of the best performances by musical acts that I saw in 2009 in the DC area. The list is based on individual sets rather than total concert line-ups. I consider any concert that I can drive to and back from in one night to fall within my radius of coverage. I’m keeping the list to 5 shows from now on because I catch great concerts all over the country and think I should only list the local cream of the crop. In other words, these are five DC area shows that can hang with the best shows in the country.
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Music, News, The Daily Feed
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9:30 Club Says Fight the Merger

Photo courtesy of
‘Sold Out’
courtesy of ‘Kevin H.’

Last night I got an email from the 9:30 club. Usually, their emails are about the sweet shows they get, and about DC Music, but this one was about something else entirely: the LiveNation/Ticketmaster merger that’s in the works. Specifically, they’re hoping that it won’t go through, because it would be bad for DC:

As a concertgoer you have already felt the pain, and if Ticketmaster and Live Nation get their way, it’ll get worse. In the last 12 years, since Live Nation and its predecessor started its widespread takeover of the concert industry, concert ticket prices have shot up 82% while the consumer price index has gone up just 17%*. We are concerned that if the two concert industry behemoths, Live Nation and Ticketmaster, are permitted to merge, the variety and quality of artists coming to local venues will be affected, and your costs could rise further and faster.

And it’s signed:

The 9:30 Club, I.M.P., Merriweather Post Pavilion, Jam Productions, Metropolitan Talent, Another Planet Entertainment, Frank Productions, Stone City Attractions, Rams Head Live, The Black Cat … and independent concert promoters and venue operators nationwide.

If you want to learn more, you can check out TicketDisaster.org and read up on the merger, and how to object as a concert-goer. Me, I think those bastards at TicketMaster can die in a fire, so I’m all for tanking this. “Convenience” Fees my ass…

Entertainment, Music, Night Life, The Features, We Love Music
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We Love Music: Arctic Monkeys @ 9:30 Club 12/8/09*

Arctic Monkeys Tickets
“My Arctic Monkeys Tickets” courtesy Greta Kauffman

Arctic Monkeys made their return to the 9:30 club in a rip-roaring fashion on Tuesday night with a set-list that mixed their trademark hyper-pop with their new album’s dedication to song-craft and musical exploration. The effect was at times lost on the sold-out crowd but the combination of their good-will towards these Brit-pop phenoms and the lads’ savvy use of radio hits peppered through-out kept the good times going for all. I was extremely pleased to see this young band so committed to their artistic development in a live show when so many other young acts fall back on crowd-pleasing when faced with sudden global levels of success.

I last saw Arctic Monkeys at the Coachella Music Festival in 2007 on the “Favourite Worst Nightmare” tour. The band in ’07 was confident and beaming, clean-cut in hair and dress. Their set then was a barn-burning bit of guitar-driven Brit-pop that left everyone smiling. A great time but somewhat disposable on an artistic level; really a reflection on their sophomore album which to this day feels like a minor offering compared to their blisteringly awesome debut. Since I last saw them play, Arctic Monkeys have gone on to become one of the biggest bands in Brit-pop and have toured the world several times over; lead singer and songwriter Alex Turner put out an excellent 60’s pop-inspired side-project (The Last of the Shadow Puppets); and the band has produced “Humbug“, easily their most adventurous and daring music yet. The lyrical risk-taking and musical development on “Humbug” is a breath-taking statement by the band that they are serious craftsmen and represents their evolution from being the latest Brit craze to being vital musicians in a landscape full of one-n-done, Ipod commercial composers.
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Media, Music, The Daily Feed
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Your Own Special Jawbox Performance

“For Your Own Special Sweetheart” courtesy of Dischord Records

Jawbox, without a doubt my all time favorite DC band, recently reissued their 90’s rock masterpiece “For Your Own Special Sweetheart” on Dischord Records. To celebrate the reissue, Jawbox agreed to a one-off reunion performance on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon. Their performance of “Savory” aired last night and it was well worth staying up to watch.

For a music nut like me this performance was – in a word – magical. It was all there, everything that made Jawbox so great back in the day, heck everything that made indie-rock in general so exciting in the early 90’s. The introverted yet passionate vocals, the jagged and jangly guitar inter-play, the shout & nod cues from the rhythm section, and of course that soul-stirring Jawbox harmonizing. No posturing here; just flat-out inventive rock and roll by scene legends who haven’t played together since 1997.

If you missed it last night you can watch the Jawbox Fallon performance plus two unaired songs by clicking the following titles: “Savory”, “FF=66”, and “68”.

Now here’s hoping for the gang to treat their hometown to a show or two before going under for another 12 years!

Music, Night Life, The Daily Feed
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Cratenfire.com Presents A U St. Showcase of DC Talent

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Yours truly has a one-song set on U Street tonight. Interested in catching the stage debut of Rachel Levitin & Paul Derlunas? Stop by the Cratenfire.com Local DC Talent Showcase down at Station9 located at 1438 U Street NW.

The event features a house band to kick-off a night of rockin’ DC tunes at 7 pm, followed by the showcase at 8 pm. Blues, R&B, Rock, Pop — there will be something for everyone to groove to. So lace up those dancin’ shoes, throw on some of your finest threads, and head out to U St. to scout some fresh DC talent.

Admission is 18 to enter/21 to drink with a $15 cover (if you’ve got a college ID it’s only $10). Pricey door fee? Yes. Potential for a priceless night on the town? You betcha!

Photo by Isaiah Headen.

Music, The Features
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Holiday Concert Guide

Photo courtesy of
‘Gay Mens Chorus of Washington DC’
courtesy of ‘dbking’

DC is so incredibly fortunate to have as many incredible choirs and music organizations as we do. We are host to some of the finest volunteer and professional choirs anywhere in the world, and this is the best time of year to see them perform. Starting this weekend, and going through Christmas Eve, you will have the opportunity to see at least a dozen “Grade A” choirs perform some of the finest sacred and secular music anywhere in the World. While this guide is not a comprehensive listing, I have picked some can’t-miss concerts in the DC Area.

Weekend of December 5th & 6th:

The first weekend has some excellent choices. Chamber Music with a small ensemble is probably my favorite way to spend this holiday season. The choirs on the first weekend of the choral season are mostly small, less than 40 voices, but no less excellent for their size. It’s easy to blend 120 voices. It’s much harder to blend 20. These are finesse groups, expect an intimate concert.

Saturday, 7pm: Ēchos – Peace Lutheran Church – $5-20

Gretchen Kuhrmann’s Ēchos is in their tenth season, and will be performing a strong program of twentieth century holiday fare, including Tavener, Britten, Lauridsen, Biebl, Mathias, and others. Expect some lush harmonies. As disclosure, I have sung with Ēchos before.

Sunday, 4pm: Washington Men’s Camerata – Church of the Epiphany – $25

Frank Albinder is most famous for his direction of choir par excellence Chanticleer, and came to the DC area in 2000. His Washington Men’s Camerata is quite good. Expect lush harmonies from the all-men’s group.

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Entertainment, Music, Night Life, The Features
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Got A Song Request? Jacqui Naylor’s Got You Covered. Literally.

Jacqui Naylor 004

I’ve seen a lot of cover bands in my day. You know the types: 40-something guys who need something to do when craving time away from the wife/family or a hobby after work to share with “the boys.” Jacqui Naylor is nothing like that.

Naylor has made a career that spans over a decade out of covering American popular songs from The 20th Century Songbook. From Gershwin’s “Summertime” to Fitzgerald’s “Black Coffee” and even REM’s “Losing My Religion”. Each song is sung with strength and valor in honor of the Great American Jazz Standard.

Naylor came back to DC for two reasons, she said. “There’s a real history here [at Blues Alley] but there’s also a sweetness in DC. There’s just something about it.”

DC would have to agree with you Miss Naylor, seeing as your fans packed the house.

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Foggy Bottom, Music, News, Special Events, The Daily Feed
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Public Enemy Spreads Holiday Cheer To Homeless DC Youth

Photo courtesy of
‘Public Enemy’
courtesy of ‘LivePict – LIVEPICT.COM’

DC just got some serious points added to their street cred.

Hip hop bad boys Public Enemy are back and are storming the DC streets tonight via a flat-bed truck (slowly making their way to GW’s Lisner Auditorium). If that doesn’t make you want to shout “FLAVOR FLAAAAAV”, I don’t know what will.

Public Enemy’s evening is set to start at the Sasha Bruce House with a Thanksgiving dinner for the 30+ homeless kids staying in the home as a part of National Homeless Youth Awareness Month. Shortly after, they’ll load up that flat bed and start doing what they do best — busting beats and pumping politically incorrect jams.

The flat bed show is scheduled to start around 7:30 pm at the Foggy Bottom intersection of 18th and G Streets NW.

Want VIP access to the show? Easy — bring a winter coat to donate and you’ll get an instant ticket upgrade.

Want to track the truck? The Post’s got the dish of where it should be and around when.

Entertainment, Music, Night Life, The Daily Feed
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Acoustic Mashup Artist Jacqui Naylor Visits Blues Alley

Photo courtesy of
‘Mic Check 1,2’
courtesy of ‘Mayes Studios’

What do George Gershwin and AC/DC have in common? To most people, that answer would be — nothing. But Blues musician Jacqui Naylor begs to differ.

Naylor is in DC tonight for two shows  (8 pm & 10 pm). This stop on her fall tour brings her to the historic Blues Alley in Georgetown.

Good luck trying to categorize Naylor into a specific genre. The girl’s got vocal chops equivalent to that of a modern Billie Holiday or bolder Norah Jones. Then, combine those vocals with her newly arranged jazz standards featuring musical compositions by some of classic rock’s biggest names and you’ve got one helluva musical package.

There’s just one thing to remember about Blues Alley though — there’s a $10 minimum purchase requirement per person. But to be honest, feeling like a true Jazz-cat c. 1960 for a night is well worth it.

Tickets for the show are still available.

Music, News, The Daily Feed
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Library of Congress Announces McCartney To Receive 3rd Annual Gershwin Prize

Photo courtesy of
‘Paul on the Jumbotron’
courtesy of ‘ameschen’

The Library of Congress has “come together” to honor former Beatle, Sir Paul McCartney, with their 3rd annual Gershwin Prize for Popular Song that “celebrates the work of an artist whose career reflects lifetime achievement in promoting song as a vehicle of musical expression and cultural understanding.” The prize commemorates American composers and brothers George and Ira Gershwin who complete catalogs are managed by the Library of Congress.

“It’s hard to think of another performer and composer who has had a more indelible and transformative effect on popular song and music of several different genres than Paul McCartney,” said James H. Billington, librarian of Congress.

McCartney will return to DC to accept the award next spring and is honored to accept the prize due to his admiration of the Gershwin songbook.

An all-star line-up of a tribute concert in his honor is scheduled to take place. No further details have been made public yet.

Previous winners of the Gershwin Prize include Paul Simon and Stevie Wonder.