Category Archives: The Features

These are our features. They come back either weekly, bi-weekly or monthly.

Featured Photo
By

Featured Photo

Blocking the Light Eric Spiegel

Similar to the warning on wide angle dvd cases, the black bar at the top of Eric’s photo is supposed to be there. Because if it wasn’t, your eye would not naturally be drawn to the woman in the right corner. Without it, your eye would also not notice the faint lines of the brick wall in the back ground. And without it, your eye wouldn’t notice the amazing pose that the woman is in, caught perfectly in mid-stride, with a fascinating shadow cast on the wall. It helps that the image is in black and white (and film, no less), which helps focus on the composition of the photo without the distraction of color. Much of what makes this photo so good is tied directly to these two elements. Excellent work!

Sports Fix
By

Seahawks defeat Redskins 24-14

Photo courtesy of Miss Maxine
The Walk
courtesy of Miss Maxine

Welcome to DC sports. It is the place where your 98 win baseball team enters to ninth inning with a lead in game 5 of the NLDS and is bounced by a utility infielder, it is where your hockey team wins the Presidents Cup, takes a 3-1 series lead, and loses, and it is where your football team goes on a near miraculous run to win the division and make the playoffs and then loses because their best player can barely walk. DC sports has become the land of misery and if misery loves company then Redskins fans can go join the Nationals fans still sulking about how their season ended.

The Redskins loss to the Seahawks started out well enough. The Redskins got the ball to start and drove down the field to score on their first possession  The defense was swarming and there was little to nothing the Seahawks could do and the Redskins scored on their second possession. At this point it didn’t look like the game was going to be fair, but something happened at the end of that second scoring drive. RGIII was hit after completing his second touchdown pass and Seattle defender Bruce Irvin was tagged with an unnecessary roughness penalty. After that the Redskins didn’t score again and RGIII never looked the same.

Continue reading →

Weekend Flashback
By

Weekend Flashback: 1/4-1/6

Vortex Rukasu1

First full week of January is looking like a week of “welcome backs”. The first, and most personal/annoying to you, is a welcome back to the office. Sure, most people were back during the short week last week, but it’s a certainty that people will be back in the office today. The next welcome back is for the Redskins to annoying loses. That was a very hard lose to take. And yes, even if you don’t like football, you’re going to be hearing about it today. But still, a MUCH better season than anyone predicted; fans can’t complain about that.

And the last welcome back is for me…yes, very self-serving but hopefully a little more pleasant. I’m back from my travels abroad and, if you can believe it, they actually gave me my job back here. I’m hoping to kick photos stories back into high gear, so get your cameras ready and keep the photos streaming in! And with that in mind, here’s the weekend in flashback form. Enjoy! Continue reading →

Sports Fix
By

NFL Wild Card Round Redskins vs. Seahawks

Photo courtesy of Homer McFanboy
Seahawks7
courtesy of Homer McFanboy

Russell Wilson, the Richmond Virginia native and 41st round pick of the Baltimore Orioles in 2007, returns to the area this Sunday to take on RGIII and the Redskins. Wilson as a baseball prospect wasn’t much. He hit .229/.354/.342 in a combined two seasons as a Rockies prospect. There were questions as to if he would hit enough at the majors as a 2B to warrant much of a future. So, Russell Wilson decided to go pro in something other than baseball, and this season as the Seahawks quarterback has passed for 3118 yards, 26 touchdowns (a rookie record), a 64.1% completion rate, and only 10 interceptions. Wilson has also rushed for 489 yards on 94 attempts.

If this style of quarterback sounds familiar it should. The Seahawks run a similar read option style offense to the Redskins and Wilson is the surprise entrant into the Luck or RGIII debate for NFL ROY. Comparing the stats of RGIII to Wilson and it is very close except in a couple areas. Griffin has thrown for 3200 yards, thrown 20 touchdowns, a 65.6% completion rate, but has half the interceptions Wilson does and 326 more rushing yard on 26 more attempts, and Griffin did all this in one less game.

Continue reading →

Music, The Features, We Love Music
By

We Love Music: Jane’s Addiction, TAB the Band @ 930 Club

Perry Farrell, photo by author

LA rockers Jane’s Addiction made a rare stop at DC’s 930 Club last Friday, December 28th, playing to a sold-out crowd of excited and lucky fans. Massachusetts-based TAB the Band started off the night.

When openers TAB the Band came onstage the club was probably two-thirds full, and the audience was enthusiastic. The band played an upbeat set of their poppy, classic-rock-tinged tunes. The band is made up of brothers Adrian (lead vocals, guitar) and Tony Perry (guitar), Lou Jannetty (guitar, vocals), and Ben Tileston (drums). Their sound is mostly straightforward, catchy rock- sometimes they channel a Kinks vibe, sometimes even a little Led Zeppelin creeps in.   Highlights of TAB’s set included the bouncy “She Said No (I Love You)”, and “Bought And Sold,” both off of their third album, Zoo Noises, released in 2010.

Jane’s Addiction took the stage around 10:30,  to an ecstatically cheering audience. Though the band grew to fame as vanguards of the “alternative” rock scene, they seemed to embody LA glam rock, at least visually, on Friday night. Frontman Perry Farrell wore skintight purple leather pants (or vinyl, hard to tell…) and he and pretty-boy guitarist Dave Navarro were quickly shirtless, showing off their fit physiques (and Navarro’s impressive tattoo collection). To complete their glam rock extravaganza, as they broke into their opening song, “Underground”, Farrell’s wife (Etty Lau, who Farrell met when she was a dancer for the band on tour in 1997) climbed onto a big platform at the back corner of the stage, wearing underwear and “danced” (read wiggled, posed & gyrated) while they played. I found that element of the show (she left but came back out later, with another woman dancer for a couple other numbers) to be super-cheesy, and unnecessary. Continue reading →

We Love Weekends
By

We Love Weekends – January 4-6

Happiness in a Bottle ep_jhu

January. Yes, January. Who let this happen? I’ve got a bone to pick with you, Mayans. I am not emotionally prepared for it to be 2013.

Oh well. The universe’s continued failure to consult me persists. Here’s what we’ve got planned.

Fedward: with my worst month of the work year behind me, it’s now time for the Social Chair’s worst month.  This means I get to pick up the slack in a number of ways, from learning how to schedule our time to picking the best moment just to grab take-out.  This weekend’s survival tips include a trip to Ace Beverage to resupply after the holidays, a stop at Smucker Farms to pick up our winter CSA box and some other goodies, and restorative noodles from Pho Viet.  Sunday we’re planning to go to the Schoolhouse Rock! 40th anniversary event (featuring local family-friendly band Rocknoceros) at the Millennium Stage.  We’ll either round up the Niecelets and confuse them with pop culture references too old for them to understand or go hang out with the other childless adults trying not to look creepy in the back of the Great Hall.

Christmas Tree Out The Window d.i.o.d.e.

Tom: Winter is my least favorite season, but at least now we’re less than 40 days until pitchers & catchers report for Spring Training, That means baseball is on my mind more than ever, so I’ll be paging through the Nats’ prospects and trade and signing opportunities to give myself something to look forward to. We’ll also be pulling down the Christmas Tree, which you can put out in your tree box, or on the right of way strip, until the 12th of December and the city will recycle them into delicious garden mulch. Were we not heading to visit our friends in Boston this weekend, I hear there’s a Michaelangelo at the National Gallery of Art that needs seeing.

Hand Holding Michael T. Ruhl

Katie: My Cherry Blossom 10 Mile training officially started this week (woo, new years goals) and so I’m off the drinking until April 7. Which means no bars for me at night, so friends and I are planning on going to the movies (either E Street or Shirlington) and I’ll be doing lots of healthy cooking. I’ll probably stock up on ingredients at Union Market or Dupont Farmer’s Market. On Saturday, a cute boy wants to hold my hand while ice skating at Canal Park, and you can’t say no to that.

Temperance parade: Eustis, Florida State Library and Archives of Florida

Jenn: Let’s be honest, is anyone really doing anything this weekend? Really? Aren’t you all meditating and hitting the gym and going sober for thirty days and other such resolutions? Hmm. I’ve been fighting the cold that it seems everyone in the city has caught, but if I rally, it’s off to a tour of the Seneca Quarry with my favorite local literary journalist, Garrett Peck. Best known for his Temperance Tours and books on Prohibition in DC, Peck’s next book is The Smithsonian Castle & The Seneca Quarry, to be published in February. This walking tour takes you along the C&O Canal’s Seneca Aqueduct, showcasing the stonecutting mill, the quarry, and more. It starts at 11am on Saturday, and it’s free. Nature, history, and the beauty of our local bright rock known as Seneca red sandstone: I think a long restorative hike is just what I need this weekend.

NGA Rotunda Fisheye Mr. T in DC

Joanna: Since we’ve been out of town for a while, I’ll be playing catch-up a bit this weekend. That mostly means cleaning out emails and planning for the new year, but it also means seeing Les Misérables in my own AMC Courthouse leather recliner with footrest (for us shorties!), ice skating, and gawking at the David-Apollo at the NGA. I’m also finally seeing the sold-out Pullman Porter Blues at Arena Stage. At the time of this writing, there are still some standing room only tickets available Friday night…

Egg maxedaperture

Don: Jenn has my number. Not on the gym thing. I tried lifting weights once; those things are HEAVY. Besides, I spend my days doing repeated 8 pound curls since my infant son demands to be held at all times. Between that and the knee-bopping I presume I’ll be taut as a drum in no time, based on all those ads I used to see for isometric exercise plans. So I can’t quit the beer – I need the carbo-loading to fuel this muscle extravaganza. No, I mean on the doing-little thing. Sure, there’ll be some outings. I need my farm eggs – those pale yellow yolks from the store don’t do it, so off to the farmer’s market like the bougie parentals we are. Since we are Those People and our boy sleeps pretty much all the time at this phase we might have a Passenger outing. Our only other impending plan is homebound; we’ve made it a tradition to have an Epiphany dinner with some close friends every year and this one is no exception. I’ll fill the boy’s cradle with hay for the occasion. Hope he likes it!

Dance for the Dying | 4 andradeXcobain

Rachel: At some point, that is still to be determined, there will be bowling this weekend! Yes, bowling! And I sure am excited for this. While Lucky Strike in Chinatown is always a decently fun time (there’s barely anyone there during the day Saturday so it’s as if you have your own private alley), I may end up at Strike Bethesda. Then, my good friend Zia Hassan is opening for one of his all-time favorite songwriters Michael Clem (of Eddie From Ohio) at Jammin’ Java Saturday night. So I’ll likely be showing him some support and rocking out to some solid songwriting in NoVa.

Sports Fix
By

Redskins defeat Cowboys 28-18 Win NFC East

Photo courtesy of Homer McFanboy
Cardinals1
courtesy of Homer McFanboy

Before the season began there were a host of predictions that the Redskins wouldn’t just be worst than last season, but that they would be the worst team in the NFL. They did after all have a rookie quarterback and a rookie running back sharing the same backfield, an offensive line filled with very few names that inspire any confidence, and a secondary that was highly suspect in 2011 and lost two safeties. With the Redskins heading into the bi-week at 3-6 even Mike Shanahan was ready to move to evaluation mode and find out what players were going to help in the years to come.

The Redskins certainly found that out. Rob Jackson, Lorenzo Alexander, Trent Williams, Tyler Polumbus, Richard Crawford, Santana Moss, London Fletcher, Kirk Cousins, Alfred Morris, and RGIII all stepped up after the bi-week and led the Redskins on a seven game win streak to end the regular season. The last game of that win streak came last night against the Dallas Cowboys. With RGIII still dealing with his knee injury and unable to be as effective a passer as normal it was up to his fellow rookie Alfred Morris to take over the game.

What Alfred Morris did in his rookie season is overshadowed by the presence of RGIII, but it could be said that as good a quarterback that RGIII is Morris may be a better running back. Morris is now the Redskins all time leading rusher and when they needed him most last night he stepped up in a big way. With Griffin only passing 18 times with 9 completions for 100 yards Morris was the key to the Redskins offense. Against a Dallas team that at many times had to know Morris was coming right at them he ran for 200 yards and 3 touchdowns on 33 attempts.

With the Redskins RGIII is always a factor even when he isn’t fully healthy and the zone read option opens up holes for both he and Morris. RGIII ran the ball himself 6 times for 63 yards. To put this into perspective Morris averaged 6.0 yards a carry and RGIII 10.5. With the Redskins inability to pass the Cowboys had to know runs were coming, but what they didn’t know was who had the ball in their hands. Watch RGIII on the fake hand-off. The ball is in Morris’ gut with his arms wrapped around it before RGIII pulls it back out. The entire defense has to freeze for that moment and it is then when RGIII decides who should have the ball.

As great as RGIII and Morris have been all season lone the defense deserves a lot of credit for the seven game win streak. The Redskins since the bi have allowed an average of around 20 points a game and have created turnovers. Last night was another example of what the Redskins defense can do. Richard Crawford, Josh Wilson, and Rob Jackson all had key interception, and while the Redskins were unable to turn the first two into points they both came with the Cowboys driving and took points and the ball away from the Cowboys. In total the Redskins won the time of possession battle 33:26 to 26:34.

The Redskins stepped up and did what they had to to put away the Cowboys. The play of Alfred Morris and the defense should be the focus as to why the Redskins won the game, but think back to last season and the biggest flaw of the Redskins offense. It was that they turned the ball over too much. Rex Grossman couldn’t stop himself from turning the ball over. The game against the Cowboys is one of the worst of RGIII’s young NFL career and he had zero interceptions. Even when RGIII isn’t helping the team he also isn’t hurting them, and that allowed Alfred Morris to take over and lead the Redskins to their first NFC title since 1999.

Entertainment, Music, The Features, We Love Music
By

We Love Music: Our Favorite Shows of 2012

photo courtesy of The Faint

It’s the end of a great year, and the music writers of We Love DC- Mickey,  Jonathan & Alexia have pulled together their respective top 10 favorite shows of 2012.

Mickey: This has been a great year for shows! For me, it’s been a return to old favorites. I caught a few acts that I’ve been into for most of my life and a few that became new favorites in the last 10 years. Interestingly, it wasn’t a big year for acts new to me although I did some promising new stuff.

Of my top 10 shows of 2012, I reviewed eight of them for We Love DC. I didn’t review two of them because they were out of town and I was quite busy! Without further ado, here in reverse chronological order then are my top 10 concerts of 2012.

 

1. The Faint

930 Club, Dec. 5

It’s become all the rage for a band to tour on the strength of a single album and to perform it in its entirety these days. Most of the time, we see that happen with bands celebrating the 20th or 25th anniversary of an album. But although the album is only about 10 years old, The Faint toured earlier this month on a reissue of Danse Macabre, a record that strikes a powerful chord and compels you to dance like crazy. And dance like crazy the audience did at a very full show at the 9:30 Club on Dec. 5. The album sounded as amazing as ever and The Faint even snuck in a new song, suggesting there is more to come from Nebraska’s favorite electronic sons.

 

2. Shiny Toy Guns

Rock and Roll Hotel, Nov.4

It’s a great feeling when a band justifies your faith in them. And so it goes with Shiny Toy Guns at the Rock and Roll Hotel on Nov. 4. This stellar new wave band recently put out its third and best album, III, bouncing back strong after a temporary split with their female vocalist Carah Faye and a disappointing second album. The sold-out crowd welcomed the band back like old friends. (And Jeremy Dawson gave me the inside scoop on reuniting with Carah Faye.)

 

3. Saint Etienne

U Street Music Hall, Oct. 25

Few things are more amazing than an intimate show with one of your absolute favorite niche bands. Saint Etienne has captured a Europop sounds so fresh and invigorating that they surprisingly sound timeless and modern all at once. They captivated a large group composed of mostly men who came out to dance and fawn over Sarah Cracknell, the most modest of divas, when they played at U Street Music Hall on Oct. 25. Although I loved the actual show to bits, my experience was bittersweet as the lovely lady who introduced me to the band went to the show with someone else. As Saint Etienne knows, “Only love can break your heart!”

Continue reading →

Sports Fix
By

Redskins Week 17: The Cowboys

Photo courtesy of Arnie K.
Dez Bryant Dallas Cowboys
courtesy of Arnie K.

This is what the season comes down to. The Redskins vs. the Cowboys at FedEx Field with the NFC East title on the line. RGIII has had an additional week of rest and in order to beat the Cowboys he is going to have to be at the top of his game. It isn’t because they have a great defense ranking 21st and 17th against the pass and run respectively. The Cowboys have the third best passing offense in the NFL and the Redskins secondary is well the Redskins secondary.

In the fourth quarter against the Saints last Sunday the Cowboys appeared to be down and out, but then scored two touchdowns in three minutes to send the game to overtime. With Dez Bryant, Jason Witten, and Miles Austin the Cowboys have that type of offense. They can strike and strike quickly, and the Redskins secondary has done little to stop any sort of passing attack all season long. If there is a strength to the Redskins defense it is an important one as they are tied for the fifth most interceptions in the league, and Tony Romo and the Cowboys are tied for fourth in interceptions.

Continue reading →

Featured Photo
By

Get Exposed, DC

The Photographer pablo.raw

Despite the occasionally nonsensical restrictions, DC is a photographer’s paradise. Incredible geography, amazing sight lines, and the monuments known throughout the country, as well as all of the things that only the locals know about. This is a great place to take pictures, and there are so many who do it well. Our talented pool of Flickr users have some of the best in the city, and I have no doubt that we’ll be seeing their work in the 2013 version of DCist Exposed this Spring.

Entries are $10 and encompass up to three photos per entrant. So comb through your photos, my friends, and start your application process well ahead of the January 9th deadline. DC needs you.

Entertainment, Interviews, Music, The Features, We Love Music
By

Q&A with TAB the Band

photo courtesy of TAB the Band

Massachusetts-based rockers TAB the Band have a sound that’s part classic rock, part bluesy, bouncy rock & roll. Formed in 2006, they have released three full-length albums to date, on North Street Records, played Lollapalooza 2011, and have toured with Stone Temple Pilots, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club and Modest Mouse, among others.  Check out their video for “She Said No (I Love You)” here.  TAB the Band plays DC’s 930 Club this Friday, December 28th, opening for Jane’s Addiction. We Love DC asked TAB the Band a few questions this week, and here’s what they had to say.

Alexia: How did the band come together?

Adrian Perry (lead vocals/bass): Tony and I had a duo called “T&A” that was responsible for such hot traxx as “Kickin’ it Colonial”, a rap tune extolling the virtues of our founding fathers. Tony and I had our own bands/projects on opposite coasts but we’d record together over holiday breaks to have some fun in the studio. One of the times he invited a drummer he knew over to put down real drums instead of the drum loops we usually used. We intended to do another goofy rap track but the riff we had was pretty cool and we decided to turn it into a ‘real’ song. That drummer was none other than Ben Tileston. So, you have T&A and B. TAB. Add the Band so people don’t confuse us with the soda. Or the computer key. Or the thing you use to separate documents in a binder. Lou Jannetty, another friend of Tony’s, joined about a year later. He’s Lou the Glue we like to say. Keeps it all together.

Continue reading →

Sports Fix
By

Redskins defeat Eagles 27-20

Photo courtesy of Keith Allison
Santana Moss
courtesy of Keith Allison

There was a not so distant pass where if a team had the chance to tie or beat the Redskins with a last second play they would have done it. Likewise if the Redskins were given the same chance they would do nothing but fail. The 2012 season has been different in many ways for the Redskins. The first and most important is they have a franchise quarterback. The second and often overlooked aspect is they have a 25 carry a game running back. Those differences and others have been visible during the Redskins six game winning streak that continued this past Sunday against the Eagles, and every Redskins fan knows that if this had been years past that script would have been flipped.

The first and primary difference between the 2012 Redskins and any Redskins team of the recent past is RGIII. As limited as he was with the running in this game, he had a total of two carries for four yards, he was still able to move the ball through the air. Griffin for the day passed for 198 on 16 completions out of 24 attempts for two touchdowns and one interception. The interception may be partly Griffin’s fault as he did have a lot of velocity on the pass, but any time a ball touches a receiver’s hands they share in the blame.

Continue reading →

We Love Weekends
By

We Love Weekends: Dec 21 to 23

Rogue Sodas tbridge

Tom: This weekend is about travel for the holidays, like so many others! Friday night will find me frantically running through Union Market getting last minute gifts for the whole family. Assuming I haven’t blown all my money at Salt & Sundry, we’ll drive up to Pittsburgh to spend time with Tiffany’s family. I’ll be dreaming of skating down at the Sculpture Gallery or Canal Park rinks, some hot cocoa from Co Co. Sala, and the National Christmas Tree. May all of the joy of this season be with you all this week.

Chris Rief aka Spodie Odie

Rachel: This weekend, while everyone’s traveling or prepping for Christmas, I’ll be either working on music or watching/hearing live music. Friday night, I’ll be at the Hard Rock Cafe for the Pink Jams! Annual Holiday Celebration. The evening features the dating music duo Far Away, the Winner of the 2012 Hard Rock Rising DC band battle Gallons to Ounces and talented 12-13 year old musicians The Boxx. Then Saturday, I’m hoping to catch Taylor Carson at the 9:30 Club opening for Virginia Coalition. Now if only I could figure out what will be open on Monday and Tuesday, then I can try to extend this fun into a long weekend with a chance of ice skating at the Sculpture Garden!

DSC_4623 bhrome

Patrick: Like many other locals I will be hitting the roads for the holidays but for those staying in town I cannot recommend enough the latest two shows I reviewed. The Pajama Men is an excellent comedy option that you will not regret. Also if you want to get revved up for Jackman, Hathaway, and company in the upcoming Les Mis film, go see the stage version now playing at the National Theatre. While I’m shamelessly promoting posts I wrote this week, another great option is to check out the Bond Villain exhibit at the Spy Museum. I’ll leave y’all with this, if you are Oscar watching these next few weeks (and I know I am) here’s the top 5 films you need to see: Lincoln, Zero Dark Thirty, Les Miserables, Silver Linings Playbook, Life of Pi.

Samuel Bell Maxey Collection - Unidentified woman and baby - 1981 177 73 1415 18 Texas State Archives

Don: Cue the start of tedious baby-related weekend plans from me! My darling wife and I just returned from California with our newly-adopted baby boy. So we’ll largely be in hunker-down unwrap-all-the-needed-accouterments oh-crap-do-we-need-to-start-college-acceptance-papers-yet mode. But the holiday prep waits for no man, woman, child, or wee little baby. So we’ll likely strap the lil’ tyke to our chest and head down to the Downtown Holiday Market, maybe walk around the Portrait Gallery while we’re there. If we’re there at the right time the talk about Jim Henson would be interesting.

Friends kimberlyfaye

Fedward: After a huge deadline push at work this five day weekend couldn’t come soon enough for me.  I plan to stock up on Christmas spirit with visits to the National Gallery of Art’s Sculpture Garden Ice Rink, the Capitol Christmas Tree, and the National Christmas Tree. Maybe this year we’ll finally make it to ZooLights, too. Saturday I might also be rounded up for some spontaneous caroling. Monday night we’re going first to Proof for nog and glogg, then to the Passenger for, well, the Passenger. Tuesday we’ll spend Christmas with local family, and Wednesday we’ll recover from the previous two days by doing not much of anything.

Sports Fix
By

Redskins Week Sixteen Preview: The Eagles

Photo courtesy of Matthew Straubmuller
Robert Griffin III vs Eagles
courtesy of Matthew Straubmuller

For the last five weeks the Redskins have played must win games and won them. It has been because of the play of RGIII, Pierre Garcon, Kirk Cousins, and a revitalized defense that has allowed an average of 20.4 points with ten total turnovers created. In the previous nine games the Redskins defense allowed an average of 27.6 points or almost a touchdown more per game. As much credit as should go to the quarterback play for the winning streak the much maligned defense deserves credit for making mid-season adjustments.

This entire winning streak started after the Redskins bye week against the Eagles. The rematch takes place this weekend, but there is debate over how much of a match it will be. Andy Reid is unlikely to return as the Eagles head coach, Nick Foles is an uninspiring quarterback, and the Eagles defense has allowed the seventh most points in the NFL. This all points to a game the red hot Redskins should win, but sports have that way of surprising. This might be that one late season game where the Eagles show up inspired and ready to play. Tired of being overlooked and wanting to spoil the Redskins late playoff push to build confidence towards next season.

Continue reading →

Music, People, The Features, We Love Music
By

We Love Music: Top Tracks of 2012, part 2

Coup Sauvage & the Snips

Part two of the top tracks of 2012. This year I decided to go to my fellow musicians of DC, and ask some of my favorite bands in the city what they’ve been listening to in the past twelve months. Yesterday we heard from Ugly Purple Sweater, Silo Halo, Paperhaus, Screen Vinyl Image, and E.D. Sedgwick. Today Shark Week, The Torches, Foul Swoops, Coup Sauvage & the Snips, and Typefighter share what’s been in their ears, hearts & minds this year.

Coup Sauvage & the Snips:

1. “Certain Kinds of Trash” by Chain & the Gang
Musings on the nature of the detritus of everyday life. Enjoy that discarded Twinkie wrapper while you still can. Great male/female vocals with a driving beat.

2. “Guillotine” by The Coup
The best type of song: catchy, danceable and insanely menacing. Hey rich guys, The Coup are coming to kill you, just so you know. Threatcore is my preferred genre and this is a stellar example.

3. “The Consequences of Jealousy” by Robert Glasper feat. Meshell Ndegeocello
Just listen to it. you’ll feel like a grown up.

4. “Rollin” by House of Ladosha
The Haus of Sauvage will give credit to other houses where credit is due, and the House of Ladosha certainly brought the heat (and the wit) on this track.  HoL put on a series of electrifying performances at the Rock & Roll hotel and Ottobar earlier this year, delivering hardcore raps with the flair, sophistication and hostility of a true butch queen.

5. “I Love It” by Icona Pop (feat. Charli XCX)

6. “212” by Azealia Banks
2012 was the year that pop and dance finally stopped flirting with each other and entered into a loving and committed relationship. Icona Pop’s “I Love It” and Azealia Banks’ “212” are the best products of this union. If “I Love It” – with its Euro- style synths and sing-along vocals – is the flirty one who hangs out at the mall then the stripped-down “212” is the weird kid who ran off to art school in the big city. Either way, they both made their parents very proud this year. Continue reading →

Entertainment, The Features, We Love Arts
By

We Love Arts: Les Miserables

(Photo: Deen van Meer)

There’s nothing that gives me chills like the opening melodies of One Day More. It’s one of my favorite ensemble numbers and it will always stop me in my tracks whether it’s in a feature film trailer or if it’s being done by an Asian YouTuber who sings all nine parts. It is only one of many memorable numbers in the musical adaptation of Victor Hugo’s novel Les Misérables. After over 25 years in production (the longest running musical in the world) the show continues to be a hit. Now on its fourth U.S. tour the show has grossed as much as a $1 million a week. Arriving at the National Theatre for its 10th time in The District since 1986, the all new production features new staging and sets inspired by the paintings of Hugo. However all the songs you’ve come to know and love are the same. I Dreamed A Dream, On My Own, Do You Hear the People Sing?, and the previously mentioned One Day More can be found in a powerful and vibrant show that continues to wow audiences after a quarter century on the stage.

Continue reading →

Music, The Features, We Love Music
By

We Love Music: Top Tracks of 2012, part 1

2012 has been an awesome year for music. It’s also been a year that I’ve become more immersed in, aware of, and amazed by the creative community in DC. There are so many good bands in our city playing great music, creating cool events, and most of all supporting each other. So when it came time to think about the year in music, I thought I’d ask some of my favorite bands in DC right now what they’ve been listening to in this past year. Most of these songs were released in 2012, though there are a few oddballs thrown in too… I was surprised that only one song made it on more than one band’s list of top picks.*Also a pleasant surprise was that I haven’t heard a ton of these tracks, so I have a lot of listening to look forward to. I got such a great response from the bands I reached out to that I had to break this into two parts, so today’s picks are chosen by Ugly Purple Sweater, Silo Halo, Paperhaus, Screen Vinyl Image, and E.D. Sedgwick. Tomorrow we’ll hear from Shark Week, The Torches, Foul Swoops, Coup Sauvage & the Snips, and Typefighter.

 

Ugly Purple Sweater

Ugly Purple Sweater:

Singer Sam McCormally shares his picks for the year.

1. “Hoarders” by Cuddle Magic

The single most precise and interesting band I saw this year. “Hoarders” is centered on the simplest of musical ideas: just two notes, first sung, and then played on xylophone and piano, repeating underneath as the rest of the song builds and changes around it.

 

2. “Who” by St. Vincent and David Byrne

I don’t tend to gravitate to supergroups (who does?) but “Who” stands out to me because it sounds like two Very Serious Artists getting together and having the most fun possible making music together.

Continue reading →

Entertainment, The Features, We Love Arts
By

We Love Arts: The Pajama Men: In The Middle Of No One

When the duo of Mark Chavez and Shenoah Allen first take the stage you might notice they have dressed a little too casual for a night out at the theatre. Forget t-shirts and jeans that yours truly usually wears to review shows or the growing fashion controversy of leggings as pants. Chavez and Allen perform in nothing but two piece pajamas and bare feet. Of course that’s probably why they are called the Pajama Men; and in their latest show, The Pajama Men: In The Middle of No One, they march upon the stage at the Woolly Mammoth Theatre in outfits that make them looks like eight-year olds goofing around at a sleepover. Without any props or sets (outside of two chairs), they create and paint scenes out of thin air with that same child-like intensity and passion. Two sets of hands come together and all of a sudden you see a horse’s mouth. One stands behind the other and their arms join to create an alien being. What makes these two performers such a delight are the ways that they use their bodies to visualize scenes to the audience.

Combine that with non-stop jokes, wordplay, and vocal bits and the PJ men are the must-see comedy show of this holiday season.

Continue reading →

Food and Drink, The District, We Love Drinks
By

We Love Drinks: Hogo Preview

Food This Way Fedward Potz

The info sheet handed out at Hogo’s media preview reads, “Hogo is part of a project called Temporary Works that hopes to bring new late-night dining options to Washington, D.C. by giving talented chefs a platform to cook bar food with their own twists. Located inside Hogo, Temporary Works has a dine-in kitchen that will be helmed by a cast of rotating chefs from Washington, D.C. and other nearby cities.” If you read recent City Paper coverage you might be asking, “would they really open a bar knowing that it would have to close in a year?” Your answer is thus completely out in the open, proudly announcing itself with the name Temporary Works. Hell, that’s even the name that appeared on the ABRA notice.

This cannot in any way be an impartial report. Regular readers of this site — especially the weekend posts — might by now have the idea that the Social Chair and I spend a lot of time at the Passenger, two doors north of Hogo. It should thus come as little surprise that we’ve come to be friends with brothers Tom and Derek Brown (and in the interest of the fullest disclosure possible, we have known their landlords and partners the Rupperts for even longer than we have known the Browns). We first met Tom in the company of the Rupperts after a “garage sale” at the Warehouse Theater, in the Passenger’s early days. Presented with the horrible beach cocktail book we’d bought at the sale, he admitted that what he really wanted to open was a rum bar with tiki drinks. Several years and uncounted Tiki Tuesdays later, he has realized that dream with Hogo. Not only have we known the new bar was coming, though, we helped paint the place and move the furniture.

Continue reading →

We Love Arts
By

We Love Arts: White Christmas

White Christmas: Mara Davi, David Elder, James Clow, and Stefanie Morse / Sharon Sipple, 2012

White Christmas’ Mara Davi, David Elder, James Clow, Stefanie Morse / Sharon Sipple, 2012

Wear sunglasses as you enter the Kennedy Center Opera House for Irving Berlin’s White Christmas. Otherwise you might be blinded by the decked-out crowds, dressed head to toe in red suits and sparkling Christmas sweater sets.

It’s a festive occasion: the seasonal entrance of a classic film-made-musical that includes beloved tunes like “Blue Skies,” “Happy Holiday,” “Snow,” and of course “White Christmas.” Fortunately for audience members young and old alike, no one near me wore distracting jingle bell earrings, although a few people came awfully close with light up, Rudolph nose cuff links.

Also fortunate for us, the crowd’s costumes didn’t outdo the show we were about to see. White Christmas at the Kennedy Center is wondrous spectacle of a bygone era—an era that never really existed, but is at least an incredibly happy place.

Continue reading →