Category Archives: The Features

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Entertainment, Music, The Daily Feed, The Features, We Love Music
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We Love Music: A Q&A with The Jewbadours

Photo Courtesy of The Jewbadours

It can be tough being Jewish around Christmas time, especially when Hannukah ends shortly after Thanksgiving like it did this year. And while some of my fellow members of the tribe may or may not agree with that sentiment, I still choose to offer up a suitable celebration option for the end of 2013.

Upon scouring the internet for a fitting night of entertainment to combat my craving for an epic holiday season, I stumbled upon a listing for The Jewbadours on Jammin’ Java‘s website. The name reeled me in at first sight so I took to YouTube to find some of their performance footage.

The end result is a soulful albeit entertaining routine executed by a couple of fun-loving Jewish jokesters from New York… who also opted to do a Q&A with We Love DC so all of us can get to know each other a little bit better before they come to town this weekend. You can check out The Jewbadours on their first tour this Saturday night — December 21 — at Jammin’ Java (tickets are still available) in Vienna, VA.

We’d be remiss if we didn’t ask this right off the bat — The Jewbadours is a unique name for a band. Where did it come from, why did you end up making that choice, and how did the two of you end up making music together?

It was one of those glorious moments when an idea crystallizes in a couple of words. We’d love to take credit, but we were named by our manager, Stew Jackson. The three of us were sitting around eating pizza and watching the Knicks, talking about the kind of cover band we would be in. And then Stew said, “you guys should be called The Jewbadours.” We knew right then we had to make this band a reality.

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Music, The Features, We Love Music
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The Winning Ticket: Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue @ 9:30 Club, 12/31/13

TromboneShortyF_V2

As a way to say thanks to our loyal readers, We Love DC will be giving away a pair of tickets to a 9:30 Club concert to one lucky reader periodically. Keep your eyes open for opportunities to find out what tickets we’re giving away, and leave a comment for your chance to be the lucky winner!

Today, we are giving away a pair of tickets to see Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue at the 9:30 Club on Tuesday, Dec. 31.

Troy Andrews aka Trombone Shorty is bringing this band Orleans Avenue to celebrate New Year’s Eve at the 9:30 Club — two weeks from tonight! Trombone Shorty himself is a funky jazz bandleader who is an unparalleled performer on the trombone and trumpet. This performance will actually cap off a three-night run at the 9:30 Club, and it will include a complimentary champagne toast at midnight.

For your chance to win these tickets, simply leave a comment on this post using a valid email address between 10am and 5pm today. Feel free to leave any comment, but perhaps share your favorite song by Trombone Shorty! One entry per email address, please. Tickets for this show are also available through Ticketfly.

For the rules of this giveaway…

Comments will be closed at 5pm and a winner will be randomly selected. The winner will be notified by email. The winner must respond to our email within 24 hours or they will forfeit their tickets and we will pick another winner.

Tickets will be available to the winner at the 9:30 Club Guest List window one hour before doors open on the night of the concert. The tickets must be claimed with a valid ID. The winner must be old enough to attend the specific concert or must have a parent’s permission to enter if he/she is under 18 years old.

Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue
w/ Trouble Funk
9:30 Club
Tuesday, Dec. 31
doors @9pm
$75
All ages

Weekend Flashback
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Weekend Flashback: 12/13-12/15

icing christaki

Hey guys! How was your weekend? Did you do something fun and exciting? Hopefully it wasn’t spent hacking up a lung, fighting a horrible headache caused by sinus pressure, and dealing with a general sense of malaise and ickiness. That, incidentally, is how I spent mine all while trying to order all of my Christmas presents online. I may have entered the incorrect billing and shipping info on more than one occasion. I blame drugs. Luckily the more able-bodied among us were out photographing the goings-on in our fair city so that the rest of us house-bound invalids won’t feel like we missed out. Thanks photogs.

And now, the Weekend Flashback. Continue reading →

Entertainment, The Features, We Love Arts
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We Love Arts: Man in a Case

Mikhail Baryshnikov in Man in a Case. Photo credit: T. Charles Erickson.

Mikhail Baryshnikov in Man in a Case. Photo credit: T. Charles Erickson.

It would be easy for Mikhail Baryshnikov to rest on his laurels. It would also be easy to recommend that you see him in Man in a Case, at Shakespeare Theatre Company as part of their Presentation Series, simply for the novelty of seeing one of the greatest performers of our time on stage. Doing anything. What a pleasure then, that this is not an easy piece. Instead, you have the privilege of witnessing charisma at the service of experimental theater. It’s truly extraordinary.

Man in a Case is adapted and directed by Annie-B Parson and Paul Lazar of Big Dance Theater, who use their innovative approach on two short stories by Anton Chekhov: “Man in a Case” and “About Love.” Parson also choreographs the production (she’s worked with David Byrne on several projects, and with St. Vincent on her upcoming tour). Though it runs just under ninety minutes, the piece has an elegiac pace which allows the seamless combination of video, sound, dance, and narration to unfold with a hypnotic beauty.

There’s a haunting immediacy to the production from its first moments, as hunters begin swapping stories in a manner evoking the folksy banter of a late night radio show. The onstage presence of sound designer Tei Blow and associate video designer Keith Skretch seems entirely natural as they execute cues from their laptops right alongside the actors. It’s that dichotomy between the natural and the artificial that gives Man in a Case an eccentric edge, which only expands as projections reminiscent of surveillance cameras appear on surfaces both expected and unexpected. It has the quality of immersive theater – even though we are watching from our stationary seats in the Lansburgh, we feel included. There’s a hint of voyeurism which expands and continues to the end.

Man in a Case begins with the story of professor Belikov (Baryshnikov), who lives a heartbreakingly restrictive and proper existence almost devoid of air to breathe. Continue reading →

Food and Drink, We Love Drinks
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Friday Happy Hour: How to Make a Knockout Punch

Punch, Repeal Day Ball Jenn Larsen

I’m going to let you guys in on a big secret about cocktail bars: we love batching. Got a delicious drink recipe that calls for half a dozen esoteric spirits and liqueurs? Great! Do I want to run up and down my bar trying to find them when I’m getting crushed during Saturday dinner service? About as much as you want to wait ten minutes for that drink. So we batch ahead of time. Like everyone else in the industry, I’ve got mixed feelings about batching. But sometimes it’s not just necessary, it’s preferred. And by that I’m talking about punches.

Punches are a host’s best friend. Easy to serve, better prepared ahead of time, and taste great; proper punch will earn you some serious colonial-era cocktail cred (maybe not that important to everyone… but check out Benjamin Franklin’s punch recipe). Try a punch at your next party and you will forever sing the praises of batching.

My recipes always follow the same format: 750 ml spirits, 375 fortified wine, 1000 ml tea, 250 ml citrus juice, 250 ml sugar, and 250 ml water. That’s roughly equal to one bottle of hooch, half a bottle of fortified wine, a pot of tea, a cup of citrus, a cup of sugar, and a cup of water. As far as actual ingredients goes, I’m a stickler for tradition (when it suits me) so I like to use colonial-era ingredients like applejack and maderia, two of the most consumed alcoholic beverages during foundation of our nation. Other than that, it’s dealer’s choice. Similar to boozy nogs, punches can take a mixture of multiple spirits; bourbon, rye, rum, brandy, genever, it will all blend in the end. You can even do a vodka-based punch. The ladies of LUPEC served one up at the Repeal Day Ball and it was so delicious, I was ready to cry witchcraft. Generally though, I avoid using vodka in my punches because we can’t all have skills like its creator, The Passenger‘s Alex Bookless. The exception being zubrowka; bison grass-infused vodka, that is. Mixed with apple cider, manzanilla sherry, and chamomile tea, a zubrowka punch is a beautiful thing. But that’s another post.

Final punch pro tips: don’t get fancy with the spirits, go fancy with the other ingredients. Continue reading →

Entertainment, The Features, We Love Arts
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We Love Arts: The Pajama Men – Just The Two Of Each Of Us

pj.conflict

Mark Chavez and Shenoah Allen. Photo courtesy of The Pajama Men.

The PJ-donned duo of Mark Chavez and Shenoah Allen return to Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company for a show this holiday season called Just The Two Of Each Of Us. Of course there’s nothing to read into the title, their surreal, imaginative, and somewhat improvised comedy style hasn’t changed for those that caught them last year. Those that have yet to experience The Pajama Men need to do so as soon as possible. Chavez and Allen once again bring a heavy dose of physical humor, with amazing vocal and facial performances that result in a night of good ol’ clean fun.

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We Love Weekends
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We Love Weekends Dec 13 – 15

Santarchy vpickering

Don: My family is taking the tack of reverence and absurdity for our weekend. Saturday morning we’ll get up early and go join others in the annual tradition of laying wreaths on the graves at Arlington Cemetery. If you’re interested in participating you can find info at Wreaths Across America’s website but the short version is “just show up.” You don’t have to contribute financially but I’d suggest it’s the right thing to do; after an earlier reported shortfall Google stepped up and covered much of the needed funds to provide the remaining wreaths, but not all. When we’re done with that we’ll don our gay apparel and join the loons at Santarchy for some enforced cheer and debauchery. The Darned Toddler will prevent us from being a part of the evening bar crawl but the wander along the way is fun.

018 kimberlyfaye

Rebecca: I missed this week’s snow so I’m kinda pumped to see some flakes this Saturday and go walking around the city enjoying the holiday season. Friday I’ll catch dinner with a good friend at the newly opened Fainting Goat on U Street. I checked this place out last Friday for HH and apps and was blown away by the pork fries, fish n’ chips and meat pies. Definitely unexpected goodness. Afterwards, we’ll head to the Strathmore to catch San Fermin. I saw these guys in October at DC9 and they were amazeballs. Their self titled first album is one of NPR’s Top Albums of 2013, so I highly recommend making the trek up to Bethesda to catch these guys. Saturday I’m off to IKEA early to buy various items to hack a standing desk in my home office and enjoy Swedish meatballs. Saturday evening I’ve got a festive holiday party to hit up that’s close by so the weather shouldn’t hinder that. Sunday it’s NFL watching time, grocery shopping and laundry. Can’t. Wait.

ZooLights Preview macmoov

Tom: This is the weekend of every party. Tonight I’m out at the Brixton, tomorrow night with the Whitesides, Saturday night with friends in Woodridge, and then Sunday with the We Love DC gang. This is getting out of control, this partying. But, I’ll also be hitting up Yelp’s Totally Bazaar over at Monroe Street Market on Saturday, and then rolling through the Brookland Celebration of Lights to get in the spirit. While our house totally isn’t on that tour, it may give us inspiration for years to come.

Continue reading →

Entertainment, The Features, We Love Arts
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We Love Arts: Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner

(L to R) Malcolm-Jamal Warner as Dr. John Prentice, Bethany Anne Lind as Joanna Drayton, Tess Malis Kincaid as Christina Drayton and Tom Key as Matt Drayton in Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater November 29, 2013-January 5, 2014. Photo by Teresa Wood. (L to R) Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Bethany Anne Lind, Tess Malis Kincaid and Tom Key in Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater. Photo by Teresa Wood.

For a play based on a film made in 1967, you might suspect antiquated dialogue and plotlines. While William Rose’s screenplay about Joanna Drayton (Bethany Anne Lind), a girl who surprises her family by bringing home an African-American fiancée (Malcolm-Jamal Warner), may have been edgy back then, the idea of inter-racial marriage is much more accepted in our society now.

Right?

Well even in “post-racial” 2013, the idea of whites and blacks marrying each other is still making headlines. Todd Kreidler’s stage adaptation of Rose’s story still resonates with audiences in a new production at Arena Stage. The story may not provoke like it did back in the 60s; instead it serves as a galvanizing statement of equality and the way love should be. The crowd inside the packed Fichandler Stage was eager to give their stamp of approval against prejudice, exploding into applause anytime a character demonstrated against bigotry. The statement that the original film set out to make now has a strong rooting interest in 2013.

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Featured Photo
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Featured Photo

Lionesses m_hamad

Anyone with a cat could tell you that big or small they’re all the same. While often temperamental they can be fiercely loyal and loving as we can see in this wonderful photo by Mohamad H. These two female lions at the National Zoo, Shera and Nababiep, are clearly the best of friends. In the soft, diffused light you can see each individual whisker and the fluffy white fur under the chin. Even the spots on the hind legs are visible. Don’t you just want to jump in there and snuggle with them? No? Zoos aren’t exactly a natural habitat for animals but it’s still possible to capture a natural behavior if you have patience and a good eye. Well done, Mohamad.

Music, The Features, We Love Music
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We Love Music: Hugh Cornwell @ Black Cat –12/5/13

Hugh Cornwell IMG_7040 Klaas Guchelaar

As some active music icons age, they often move away from the musical styles and lyrical causes that propelled them to public consciousness. They expand to new sounds or find new grounds, and they may bear little resemblance to their old selves.

While such an evolution may be understandable, it’s sometimes disappointing. While not everyone has to be Billy Bragg to maintain some degree of consistency in musical philosophy, it’s nice to see a sensible evolution in a musical career — rather than, say, searching for something new at age 50 to new discernible musical benefit.

Enter Hugh Cornwell, a punk icon who remains completely recognizable because he seems largely to be the same man he was at the beginning of his career but perhaps more mellow. He may be a case of a young punk rocker with a satiric bite but often soft sentimentalities, who becomes an older punk rocker with a no less satiric bite and more pronounced sentimentalities. In an appearance backstage at the Black Cat last Thursday, Dec. 5, Cornwell played a solid set drawn from this new album, Totem & Taboo, as well as a number of selections from his old band The Stranglers.

Continue reading →

Music, The Features, We Love Music
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The Winning Ticket: Gogol Bordello @ 9:30 Club, 12/27/13

GogolBordelloF_V2As a way to say thanks to our loyal readers, We Love DC will be giving away a pair of tickets to a 9:30 Club concert to one lucky reader periodically. Keep your eyes open for opportunities to find out what tickets we’re giving away, and leave a comment for your chance to be the lucky winner!

Today, we are giving away a pair of tickets to see Gogol Bordello at the 9:30 Club on Friday, Dec. 27.

Bringing Eastern European culture to us via New York City, Gogol Bordello released its sixth studio album, Pura Vida Conspiracy, back in July. As has become a tradition, the self-proclaimed “gypsy punk” band is hitting the 9:30 Club for two nights of revelry on Friday, Dec. 27, and Saturday, Dec. 28.

While the band (through various lineup changes) have consistently recorded high-energy klezmer, their off-the-wall live shows are truly the toast of their fans. Here is your opportunity to see what it’s all about for free — or perhaps to attend another? (I once knew a guy who went to more than 50 Gogol shows!)

For your chance to win these tickets, simply leave a comment on this post using a valid email address between 10am and 5pm today. Feel free to leave any comment, but perhaps share your favorite song by Gogol Bordello! One entry per email address, please. Tickets for this show are also available through Ticketfly.

For the rules of this giveaway…

Comments will be closed at 5pm and a winner will be randomly selected. The winner will be notified by email. The winner must respond to our email within 24 hours or they will forfeit their tickets and we will pick another winner.

Tickets will be available to the winner at the 9:30 Club Guest List window one hour before doors open on the night of the concert. The tickets must be claimed with a valid ID. The winner must be old enough to attend the specific concert or must have a parent’s permission to enter if he/she is under 18 years old.

Gogol Bordello
w/ Man Man
9:30 Club
Friday, Dec. 27
doors @8pm
$35
All ages

Weekend Flashback
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Weekend Flashback: 12/06-12/08

Tiny snowman at the Capitol number7cloud

Everyone here at WLDC hopes that you got out of your home and navigated safely to where ever it is you were headed this morning. As well, hopefully there was a hot beverage waiting for you there. You’ll need it; several, in fact. Most people around here love the snow, but the aftermath is always headache. Take it slow and safe; remember, the area is still predominately Southerners. Especially when it comes to winter weather…so says the local.

Sadly our photo spread isn’t going to warm you up but it will amaze. Our contributors braved the snow and sleet to get some excellent shots from the area. So grab that hot drink, put your feet up, and enjoy the views. Continue reading →

Food and Drink, We Love Drinks
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Friday Happy Hour: How To Stock Your Holiday Bar

Yeah, I wish... Paul Allen

Tis the season for holiday parties, so let’s talk about how to keep your bar stocked. The first mistake that everyone makes–myself included–is to try to find the best of the best and impress your friends with your masterfully curated liquor selection. Which, for me, usually ends with a hefty dose of buyers remorse after I mourn over my empty bottle of $70 dollar scotch the next morning. The best thing to remember with parties is don’t get too fancy; keep it simple and keep it cheap. Cheap doesn’t have to mean bad, it’s easy to find a great bourbon when you’re not worried about the price tag, it’s much harder to find a great bourbon when you’re on a budget. Hopefully this list of how I stock my bar will help.

First and foremost we start with American whiskies, so pick up a bottle of Buffalo Trace. A good, cheap bourbon is harder to come by than almost any other spirit, by my count. But Buffalo Trace clocking in at around $20 for a 750 ml fits the bills. It makes for a killer Old Fashioned, works great as a sipping whiskey, and isn’t too expensive to blush at the thought of pouring a bit in your morning eggnog. After bourbon, the next most important whiskey to have on hand is a good rye. The only rye I want you to even think about buying for your holiday parties is Old Overholt. There’s a reason I tell people this is the cornerstone of American mixology. Rye whiskey is an essential component in so many fundamental cocktails–Manhattan, Sazerac–and we are very lucky to have such a cheap and abundant source in the US as Old Overholt at only $15 a bottle.

Now let’s hop the pond and round out your sipping whisk[e]ys. Scotch can be an expensive endeavour, but fortunately it doesn’t have to be Continue reading →

Entertainment, Interviews, Music, People, The Features
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Celebrating an Irish Christmas with Moya Brennan

Clannad - Moya Brennan dhaun

The first time I heard Moya (also known as Máire) Brennan sing, it was on a friend’s Clannad album during an intense study period at college. The music, with its ethereal tones and haunting vocals, imparted a sense of peace and calm, allowing our study group to finally settle down and prepare for finals.

My music taste has evolved over the years, but my love for Celtic and Irish music hasn’t waned. In fact, it’s grown. And central to that has been Moya’s incredible music.

I had a chance to talk with her last year before and after her St. Patrick’s Day concert. It’s a great look into her approach and style, and even though her concert tomorrow is a Christmas one, still very relevant.

YouTube Preview Image

Brennan visits Washington tomorrow as part of a short U.S. tour with her Christmas show “An Irish Christmas.” The two performances, 3 and 7 p.m., will be at the Grosvenor Auditorium at the National Geographic Museum, located at 17 and M Streets, NW. The tour is part promotion of a re-release of her popular Christmas concert album. Both shows are sold out.

The “First Lady of Celtic Music” began her professional music career with Clannad back in the 1980s. The band, featuring many of her family members, started out of her father’s pub, Leo’s Tavern. Clannad is considered the flagship group that started the Celtic music movement. “We didn’t intentionally want to go out and become famous and make a lot of money and everything because we very much, when the band was formed, sang traditional Gaelic songs,” Moya said in an interview with CBN last year. “And even in Ireland people thought we were mad.”

Moya launched her solo career in the 1990s and to date has released seven albums. Her music career spans more than 20 albums, film scores, and collaborations with other well-known artists like Robert Plant, Shane MacGowan, and Bono. Continue reading →

Music, The Features, We Love Music
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Hot Ticket: Hugh Cornwell @ Black Cat, 12/5/13

Hugh Cornwell (Photo by Kevin Nixon)

Hugh Cornwell (Photo by Kevin Nixon)

I’ve just listened to Hugh Cornwell’s new album, Totem & Taboo, released back in January, and it’s quite good! The former frontman of The Stranglers still has a good, strong voice that sounds like smooth leather, capable of both challenging with a bit of satire or soothing with a pleasing thought.

The title track of the album is a jaunty tune that explores differences in attitudes that two people can have about the same thing. “God Is a Woman,” as Cornwell said in interviews, is a song inspired by the fact that ancient religions worshipped a female goddess and extrapolates that concept into admiration of women all around. “Love Me Slender” is a fun bunch of rhymes with a wry nod to the Elvis Presley song, and “Gods Guns and Gays” celebrates freedom of speech.

Cornwell comes to the backstage of the Black Cat on Thursday with the promise to play lots of his solo material with the addition of a couple of songs from his days in The Stranglers. A check of recent set lists shows he favors the new album, of course, but also plays some classics like “No More Heroes,” “Golden Brown” and “Nice ‘N Sleazy.”

DC post-punkers Dot Dash open for Cornwell.

Hugh Cornwell
w/ Dot Dash
Black Cat
Thursday, Dec. 5
Doors @8pm
$15
All ages

Featured Photo
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Featured Photo

The Arrival pablo.raw

“Red Line train to Glenmont.” Even with all the troubles that Metro has given us in recent history, the system is quite pretty. From the Brutalist architecture, to vistas on some of the fly over tracks, Metro can still provide beauty in our daily lives. And that’s before you take the time to do a long exposure of a train coming into a station.

Pablo certainly captured that beauty with this Red Line train entering Union Station. He caught it just right so that the individual cars run together at one end, making it look like a single car. And at the other end, there are the light lines streaming along. And if you look closely at those light lines, you’ll see the wonderful movement made in the long exposure; solid lights and letters moving together forming a unique pattern. And you can clearly read the station sign and the warning on the tracks through the train’s arriving movement. Quite the sight and always a pretty one to see.

By the way, if you’re interested in great photography, our friends over at Exposed DC are getting ready to kick-off their 2014 Exposed Photography Show. They’re having a launch party at Bluejacket tonight and it will be well worth going to. This juried photography show is going into their seventh year and it is always worth seeing (both Kerrin and myself, as well as many of our regular contributors, have had photos in previous years of the show). Hope to see many people at the party!

Music, The Features, We Love Music
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Hot Ticket: Holograms @ DC9, 12/4/13

Holograms (Photo courtesy Captured Tracks)

Holograms (Photo courtesy Captured Tracks)

Holograms, a post-punk quartet from Sweden, kick off a three-week tour of the United States starting in DC tomorrow at DC9. Yesterday, they unveiled a video for their energetic single “Luminous” from their second album, Forever, released a few short months ago.

As you can hear from the song, Holograms are a bit of a cousin to Sweden’s Iceage. They share a similar appreciation for hardcore punk without completely giving themselves over to it. The young twenty-something band members — Andreas Lagerström (vocals/bass), Anton Strandberg (drums), Anton Spetze (vocals/guitar) and Filip Spetze (synths) — bring a strong synth presence to the songs, however, giving them a more melodic post-punk edge — albeit one with a lot of frenetic shouting. It’s dystopian rock with a beat, and you can dance to it.

TV Ghost, hailing from Indiana, open, promising some gothy sounds by way of The Cure.

Holograms
w/ TV Ghost
DC9
Wednesday, Dec. 4
Doors @8pm
$10 advance/$12 door
All ages

Sports Fix
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Nats Big Buyers on Cyber Monday

Doug Fister Keith Allison

The Nationals’ Mike Rizzo took advantage of some serious savings on Monday, picking up the Detroit Tigers’ Doug Fister in a deal that sent a journeyman infielder, and lefty reliever and a mid-level prospect back. Fister has been a middle of the rotation over performer for the Tigers, going 14-9 last year, tied for the league lead in induced GDPs, 2nd in home runs allowed per 9 innings (0.6) with a career 3.53 ERA.

Fister went 32-20 in three years in the Tigers organization, last year notching 159 strikeouts across 33 appearances on the way to the Tigers AL Central championship. A ground-ball pitcher of towering stature (Fister is 6’ 8”), the pickup can’t be overstated for the Nationals. They add a starter to fill the spot of the departing Haren, and it cost them just a replacement middle infielder (Steve Lombardozzi), a lefty reliever (Ian Krol), and a prospect (Robbie Ray). 

Hats off to GM Mike Rizzo for orchestrating the deal. As the first rumors surfaced (thanks to Chris Cotillo from MLB Daily Dish for his hard work breaking the news), fan approval was very high for the arrival of Fister, though some were saddened over the loss of Lombardozzi, who some believed the balm for some of the Nationals’ middle infield “issues”. I, for one, think that Dave Dombrowski might still have a tryptophan hangover to give up Fister for so little a return. The only explanation I can find is that they are far higher on the value of Robbie Ray than the Nationals are. 

Fister is arbitration-eligible this year, and is under team control through 2016. Some place his salary at just under $7M for 2014, which would be a bargain for a 32-game starter that could take 200 IP and pick up 15 wins. The Nationals won big on Cyber Monday, that much is for sure.

Music, The Features, We Love Music
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We Love Music: Temples @ DC9 — 11/27/13

Temples (Photo by Ed Miles)

Temples (Photo by Ed Miles)

A time-tested strategy for independent bands to gain buzz and build an audience: releasing a few singles, playing a lot of shows, becoming the toast of many reviews.

Temples, the UK quartet from the English Midlands, find this strategy paying off for them with the release of a full album not yet due until the second week of February. But unlike many bands who follow the independent band strategy, Temples are well worth the hype, as they demonstrated in an extraordinary eight-song set at DC9 on Wednesday, Nov. 27.

Listening to Temples’ SoundCloud page in preparation for the show, as I did, prepares you for a band with rolling melodies and a lush full sound. For example, their latest single, “Keep in the Dark,” offers some great melodies among band members and some really pleasing psychedelic guitar riffs. So it’s no surprise that it’s a good song—one apparently a catchy acknowledgement of the comforts of staying up late as well as perhaps remaining unenlightened. But the live show simply takes it to another level.

Continue reading →

Music, The Features, We Love Music
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The Winning Ticket: The Hives @ 9:30 Club, 12/10/13

TheHivesFAs a way to say thanks to our loyal readers, We Love DC will be giving away a pair of tickets to a 9:30 Club concert to one lucky reader periodically. Keep your eyes open for opportunities to find out what tickets we’re giving away, and leave a comment for your chance to be the lucky winner!

Today, we are giving away a pair of tickets to see The Hives at the 9:30 Club on Tuesday, Dec. 10.

They live in stately Hive Manor. They record on Disque Hives. The Hives are law, you are crime. Garage punk rockers The Hives are all about style — and quite a bit about goofy fun. Fronted by Howlin’ Pelle Almqvist, the live shows by the Swedish quintet have become legend. The Hives released a new album, Lex Hives in 2012, and they are coming back around to the 9:30 Club in support of it again. What crazy things will Almqvist say or do? What matching outfits with the band wear? How much moshing will occur? This is your chance to find out for free. Don’t be shy, see The Hives!

As an extra bonus, you’ll be one of the first to get a look at the new band from local guitar legend Mary Timony — Ex Hex. Timony, formerly of Helium and Wild Flag, started up the new band and put out a single, “Hot and Cold,” back in October. They already have a record deal with an LP due out in April. The glam tendencies of this all-female band likely will serve as a great segue/counterbalance to the rambunctious Hives.

For your chance to win these tickets, simply leave a comment on this post using a valid email address between 10am and 5pm today. Feel free to leave any comment, but perhaps share your favorite song by The Hives! One entry per email address, please. Tickets for this show are also available through Ticketfly.

For the rules of this giveaway…

Comments will be closed at 5pm and a winner will be randomly selected. The winner will be notified by email. The winner must respond to our email within 24 hours or they will forfeit their tickets and we will pick another winner.

Tickets will be available to the winner at the 9:30 Club Guest List window one hour before doors open on the night of the concert. The tickets must be claimed with a valid ID. The winner must be old enough to attend the specific concert or must have a parent’s permission to enter if he/she is under 18 years old.

The Hives
w/ Ex Hex
9:30 Club
Tuesday, Dec. 10
doors @7pm
$35
All ages