Category Archives: Night Life

Entertainment, Music, Night Life, The Features, We Love Music
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We Love Music: The Darkness @ 930 Club, 2/8/2012

photo by Nicole Geldart

Tight pants, long hair, moustaches, falsetto and acrobatics abounded onstage Wednesday night at the 930 club. Freddie Mercury would have felt right at home. British glam-rock extravaganza The Darkness blended sex-appeal, silliness and virtuosity into a delicious pop explosion at their sold-out show. They were joined by outrageous openers Foxy Shazam.

Cincinnati rockers Foxy Shazam took to the stage with theatricality, lead singer Eric Nally swooping on draped in a black-sequined cape. (When he removed his cape to reveal his tight black pants and cropped leather jacket, combined with his Prince Valiant haircut he somehow looked to me like what Sonny Bono might have looked like as a member of The Ramones.)  Continue reading →

Entertainment, Music, Night Life, We Love Music
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We Love Music: Thurston Moore, Kurt Vile @ Black Cat 2/6/2012

photos by author

At Monday night’s Black Cat show Thurston Moore  dished out jokes about Dischord house, stories about Black Flag, Jello Biafra, conspiracy theories about Jimmy Carter, credited Reagan for the birth of Hardcore, and had a gin & tonic chugging contest with his guitarist. Oh yeah, and played some amazing music too.

Moore, frontman of the iconic experimental/noise/post-punk band Sonic Youth is on tour in support of his latest solo album Demolished Thoughts, released in 2011 on Matador. He brought with him fellow Matador recording artist Kurt Vile, as well as a band on his own label, Ecstatic Peace Records – Hush Arbors, which features his touring guitarist, Keith Wood. Continue reading →

Entertainment, Music, Night Life, The Daily Feed
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Listen Local First Launches Kickstarter Campaign to Bring DC Music to SXSW

You may have noticed the signs posted in the front windows of Tryst, Local 16, Solly’s, or maybe even Hello Cupcake. But in case you didn’t , here’s the low down. For the past four months, there’s been a monthly “DC Local Music Day” (FYI: It’s February 8 this month).

What is DC Local Music Day? It is the day in which the aforementioned shops (and others) stream music created by local artists from open to close. This is all thanks to Listen Local First.

If you haven’t heard of it yet, LLF is a new local music initiative in town. LLF is devoted to building awareness and creating opportunities for local musicians and venues in order to raise the profile of DC’s local music scene. All things considered, they’ve been doing a pretty good job so far. They’ve got a growing list of local business partnerships and show no sign of slowing down.

LLF is the brain child of co-founders Chris Naoum and Rene Moffatt and their next goal for the project is bringing the DC music scene to SXSW this March.

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Entertainment, Music, Night Life, We Love Music
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We Love Music: Cass McCombs @ Ottobar, 1/21/2012

 

photo by Sandy Kim

Cass McCombs turned Baltimore’s Ottobar into a spacey dreamworld during his set Saturday night. In the midst of his US winter tour,  he played with a full backing band, including keys, bass, guitar, pedal-steel guitar and drums. Opening was Frank Fairfield, along for the duration of the tour, and Walker and Jay. 

First to the stage was the Baltimore based trio Walker and Jay. Gathered close around one microphone, with only acoustic instruments, they looked and sounded like they could have walked right out of the movie O Brother, Where Art Thou?. There was an upright bass, providing the backbone and rhythm for the set, a fiddle, and the lead singer switched between playing banjo and what looked like some kind of steel guitar. Their old-timey country/bluegrass/blues was both lovely and rousing, and set an intimate mood for the evening.  Continue reading →

Entertainment, Music, Night Life, We Love Music
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Hot Ticket: Cass McCombs @ Ottobar, 1/21/2012

photo courtesy of Cass McCombs

Cass McCombs brings soulful, mellow, dreamy rock to Baltimore’s Ottobar this Saturday night. He has received high praise from the likes of John Peel and Pitchfork Media, and has performed or toured with Cat Power, Andrew Bird, Blonde Redhead & Modest Mouse among many others.

His sixth album (and second in 2011), Humor Risk, was released in November of 2011 , to much acclaim, and landed him a cover story on Fader.

I am currently addicted to the single “Love Thine Enemy,” from Humor Risk, but I can’t find that anywhere online to share, so check out “The Same Thing” also on the new album.

Cass McCombs

Saturday, January 21, 2012, Ottobar

w/Frank Fairfield 

Walker and Jay

doors 9pm/show 9:30

$12

Night Life, Opinion, The Daily Feed
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Classing up MLK Weekend

Barcode mlk

As you may be aware, this weekend is the celebration of Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday, the first in the Nation’s Capital since the new memorial to Dr. King opened on the mall. You may be planning to spend your Monday holiday in service-related activities, or demonstrating for the lack of civil rights in the District, but local club Barcode wants you to drink away the night before with special MLK-themed bottle service and drinks specials.  They’re even using the civil rights leader’s visage on their fliers.

Of course, if that name sounds familiar, it’s not just you. Barcode is the same spot that had a special happy hour and bottle service for the muslim holiday Eid al-Fitr back in August.

I guess there’s no holiday out there that Barcode will leave be.

I, for one, can’t wait for Barcode’s new “Dead Presidents” cocktails for President’s Day, or the Tombstone Special on Veterans Day next November.

Entertainment, Fun & Games, Music, Night Life, The Daily Feed
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District Karaoke at Policy: An Excuse to Get Social & Sing

Photo courtesy of furcafe
03106-17Crop
courtesy of furcafe

I don’t know about you but I’ve been searching for an excuse to get my karaoke on for quite some time. There’s Japone in Dupont where I went a few times in college and Hill Country Texas BBQ has country karaoke once a week, but now there’s a whole new karaoke game in town.

Thanks to Nats fan Laura Murphy for pointing it out earlier today, we now know that Policy (1904 14th Street NW) will start hosting the inaugural season of District Karaoke – the District’s only social karaoke league – this February. For real. Continue reading →

Entertainment, Music, Night Life, The Features, We Love Music
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We Love Music: Tori Amos at D.A.R. Constitution Hall, 12/5/2011

http://www.flickr.com/photos/coffeeonice/

all photos by "D"

Ruby-tressed siren Tori Amos brought a breathtakingly beautiful evening of music to DC’s D.A.R. Constitution Hall on Monday night. She is in the midst of a world tour in support of her latest album, Night of Hunters, released in September on Deutsche Grammophon Records. The album is described by Amos as “a 21st century song cycle inspired by classical music themes spanning over 400 years.” For the tour she brought along the string quartet who played on the album, Apollon Musaget Quartett, from Poland.

Seeing Tori play in DC, her hometown, is always a special experience, and Monday night was no exception. The stage of Constitution Hall appeared at once both grand and intimate- set with beautiful, draping curtains, drawn to expose a backdrop that was at times illuminated to look like a sky full of twinkling stars. Above her glossy, black, Bosendorfer Grand piano hung a chandelier. First on the stage came the string quartet, and they began a musical introduction. Then Tori entered the stage to a sea of applause, and bowed, as she always does, to her fans, before taking her seat at the piano. Continue reading →

Food and Drink, Night Life, We Love Drinks
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We Love Drinks (Lots of Them): Repeal Day Ball 2011

Fog Lifters
All photos by the author

We here at We Love DC are unabashed, unequivocal fans of the DC Craft Bartenders Guild and their annual Repeal Day Ball. So much so that, within about 48 hours of the announcement that tickets were on sale (by which I mean within about twelve hours, really), Jenn, Brittany, and I (and the Social Chair, naturally) had all bought our tickets for this year’s ball. It’s the biggest party of the year, it’s focused on craft cocktails, and it’s thrown by bartenders themselves. This idea intrigues me and I would like to subscribe to its newsletter.

The ball (8pm Saturday at Halcyon House) is sold out now, but those of you who are going for the first time are in for a treat. A continual supply of treats, to be honest. I won’t go over all the names (you can do that yourself) and I can’t predict what the drinks will be, but I can provide the voice of experience to get you to the end of the night with your dignity intact and your clothes unstained. Join me, won’t you?

Continue reading →

Entertainment, Music, Night Life, The Features, We Love Music
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We Love Music: Girl In A Coma @ DC9, 11/9/2011

photos by Aminta S. Nieves-Candamo

San Antonio rock trio Girl In A Coma played a power-charged set to a crowded DC9 Wednesday night. They are currently in the middle of their US tour in support of their latest album Exits & All The Rest, released November 1st on Blackheart Records. They were joined by punky openers Brothers of Brazil and The Coathangers. Continue reading →

Entertainment, Music, Night Life, The Daily Feed
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Hot Ticket: The Sea and Cake @ Black Cat

photo courtesy of The Sea and Cake

Catch Chicago’s The Sea and Cake tonight on the mainstage of the Black Cat. The quartet brings soft, jazz-influenced indie rock, blending ambient instrumentals and electronics with understated, dreamy/breathy vocals. The band is currently on tour of the US in support of their ninth studio album, The Moonlight Butterfly, released in May on Thrill Jockey Records. Check out their upbeat track “Up on the North Shore” from their latest album here.

The Sea and Cake

w/Brokeback

8pm/$15

Black Cat Mainstage

Entertainment, Music, Night Life, The Features, We Love Music
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Hot Ticket: Girl In A Coma @ DC9

photo courtesy of Girl In A Coma

Get your mid-week dose of rock tonight with Girl In A Coma at DC9. This female trio of hotties from San Antonio, TX play dramatic, punk/rockabilly-tinged rock & roll. Vocalist Nina Diaz has a strong, captivating voice that has been compared to country icon Patsy Cline. The band formed when drummer Phanie Diaz and bassist Jenn Alva bonded in Junior High art class over a mutual love of The Smiths and Nirvana. In 2006, after seeing them perform at New York’s Knitting Factory Joan Jett signed the band to her label, Blackheart Records. The band’s name is a nod to The Smiths’ song “Girlfriend In A Coma,” and they even lived out their teen dream and toured opening for Morrissey in 2007. Girl In A Coma are currently on tour in support of their fourth album, Exits & All the Rest, released on November 1st on Blackheart Records. Check out their video for “Clumsy Sky” here.

Girl In A Coma
The Coathangers
Brothers of Brazil
8pm/$12
DC9

Entertainment, Music, Night Life, The Features, We Love Music
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We Love Music: Hanson @ State Theater, 10/19/2011

All photos by Aminta S. Nieves-Candamo

Hanson were born to perform. Their talent, energy and charisma shone brilliantly onstage at the State Theater Wednesday night, as they played two hours worth of their catalogue, old and new, to a packed house. Over halfway through their US “Musical Ride” tour, Hanson did what they have been doing best for over 14 years now- delivered a slice of sunshine to their fans through their positively upbeat, catchy pop tunes and energetic stage show. Continue reading →

Entertainment, Interviews, Music, Night Life, People, The Features, We Love Music
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Q&A with Taylor Hanson of Hanson, part 1

photos courtesy of Hanson

Most of you out there remember the band Hanson  (brothers Isaac, Taylor and Zac) as the cheerful trio of kid pop stars responsible for the infectiously catchy song “MmmBop” in the late nineties. What you may not know is that they were more than one-hit wonders. Their major label debut album Middle of Nowhere earned them three Grammy nominations, and produced six top 40 singles in the US. After that album the group split from their major label, formed their own label and has since released five studio albums. They have maintained a loyal fanbase, and are dedicated to giving their fans unique and personal experiences through their live shows. While Isaac, Taylor and Zac are still young (30, 28 and 25 respectively) they have the kind of  musical career that so many work for their whole lives to attain. They are successfully maintaining their own label, touring, and continue to produce albums that chart high on the Billboard Independent Albums chart. Their latest album, Shout It Out returns to their roots, bringing back a more pop sound, with some nods to Motown and old-school Rock & Roll.

Hanson is currently on tour, and will be playing Wednesday, October 19th at the State Theater in Falls Church. Lead singer/keyboardist Taylor Hanson took a break out of his busy tour schedule to talk with We Love DC’s Alexia Kauffman (and make one of her teenage dreams come true) about tour, becoming famous as a kid, the music industry, and even Katy Perry. (Full disclosure: Alexia was a big fan back in the 90s, and knows all the lyrics to every song on Middle of Nowhere.)  Continue reading →

Entertainment, Music, Night Life, The Features, We Love Music
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We Love Music: Yuck @ Black Cat 10/12/2011

photos by Sarah Jackson

London-based quartet Yuck rocked out at the Black Cat Wednesday night to a sizable crowd. The band is just finishing up their US tour in support of their self-titled debut, released in February on Fat Possum Records. This was their second visit to the Black Cat; the first was in May, opening for Australian psychedelic-rockers Tame Impala. I was at that show to see Tame Impala, and had the magical elusive fortune of experiencing an opening band that I hadn’t heard before blow my socks off. I became an instant fan. Wednesday night’s almost packed house proved that they have collected quite a few fans in the past year, and they were clearly pleased with the turnout.

Continue reading →

Entertainment, Music, Night Life, The Daily Feed
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Hot Ticket: Yuck @ Black Cat 10/12/2011

image courtesy of Yuck

Head to the Black Cat tonight for young British noise-pop-rockers Yuck. Fans of Dinosaur Jr. or Sonic Youth will likely enjoy Yuck’s melodic, catchy, distortion-filled-fuzz-rock. Clearly reminiscent of the early 90s alternative noise bands, but with their own fresh take, Yuck’s live show is energetic, goofy and fun.  Check out their catchy noise anthem “Holing Out.”

Yuck

Porcelain Raft

$15/8pm

Black Cat

Entertainment, Music, Night Life, The Daily Feed
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Hot Ticket: The Lemonheads @ Black Cat

photo courtesy of The Lemonheads

Take a trip back to 1992 tonight  at Black Cat when The Lemonheads perform It’s A Shame About Ray in its entirety on the mainstage. To me this album was one of the handful of good memories I have during my middle school years, and played a part in the beginning of my love affair with rock music. It is a classic of the early 90s. Even if you didn’t catch it the first time around, Evan Dando’s warm, dreamy vocals, head-bopping tunes, and good looks can make a teeny-bopper out of anyone. Get in the mood with their video for It’s a Shame About Ray.

The Lemonheads

The Shining Twins

New York Rivals

$15 Mainstage/Doors at 9:00pm

Entertainment, Music, Night Life, We Love Music
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Hot Ticket: Dark Dark Dark @ Red Palace

photo by Tod Seelie

Embrace the chill in the air and get in the mood for fall with Dark Dark Dark at Red Palace tonight. Moody piano and clarion female vocals are joined with understated percussion and layers of cello, accordion, horns and backing vocals to create a dark, dramatic and beautiful melange. Check out the video for their single “Daydreaming” from their album Wild Go here. The group, from Minneapolis, Minnesota is on tour supporting Eastern European-inspired folk duo A Hawk and A Hacksaw.

A Hawk And A Hacksaw
Dark Dark Dark
Pillars and Tongues

Red Palace
Tuesday, October 4th
doors 8:00/show 8:30
$12

Entertainment, Interviews, Music, Night Life, The Features, We Love Music
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Q&A with Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. is a talented duo from Detroit. Blending electronic elements with traditional rock instruments and vocal harmonies reminiscent of the Beach Boys and Paul Simon, they have crafted a unique and catchy sound.  Their live shows demonstrate their flair for the dramatic- with hand-crafted marquees flashing their moniker “Jr. Jr.”, bubble machines, and fans-onstage dance parties. Riding on the high of playing Lollapalooza 2011 this summer they are touring the US, spreading good times and harmony as they go.

Co-founder Daniel Zott took some time out of his busy tour schedule to chat with WLDC’s Alexia Kauffman about the band, their roots, and living your dreams.

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Night Life
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We Love Parties: BYT + Spain Present YES!

BYT+Spain 2

On Friday, Brightest Young Things and the Embassy of Spain joined forces to put on a fabulous party, bringing new life to a previously-abandoned (though totally beautiful) building. This event, YES!, marked the opening of the new SPAIN Arts & Culture program which produces a variety of programs highlighting Spanish culture and will be using the former Ambassador’s residence as an event space in DC. Events coming up on the calendar include Euronight 2011, an exhibition of the work of young Spanish architects, and a film series examining cinema from shortly after the end of the Franco regime.
Continue reading →