ShowlistDC Music Notes: Friday 03-30-12



Notes from last night (and a request for feedback)


Last night I headed out to DC9 to see French atmospheric black metal/shoegaze band Alcest. (Apparently it was quite the week for atmospheric black metal bands in the U St corridor, since Liturgy opened for Sleigh Bells at the 9:30 Club on Tuesday). Their set focussed mostly on their newest album, Les Voyages de L’ame, which sounded great, despite the absurdly omnipresent smoke machine. (Seriously, it’s as if those guys were pumping enough smoke for a space the size of the 9:30 club). Oddly, the crowd seemed to be the biggest for opening band deaf heaven– either that, or people just pushed closer for the headliner’s set. Other openers were locals Black Clouds and Auroboros.

Hey, while I’m at it, it seems to be a SLDC Music Notes tradition to ask for feedback on the last weekday of the month. What do you like/dislike in this daily round-up? Are their things I could add or change? Feel free to let me know, either via a comment on this post or by email, showlistdc@gmail.com.



Weekend/Week-Ahead Planner


Planning Guides
• Washingtonian’s Music Picks.
• Smithsonian Mag’s Around the Mall.
• TBD’s April Fools round-up (no joke!).
• Washington CityPaper’s Jazz Setlist.
• We Love DC loves weekends.

Tonight – Friday 3/30
• CD Review: Dan Miller on First Aid Kit‘s The Lion’s Roar [Washington Post]. Performing tonight at the Black Cat.

Saturday 3/31
• CD Review: Catherine Lewis on A Sound of Thunder‘s Out of the Darkness [Washington Post]. Also reviewed by NoVA Metal Review. CD release show at Empire (formerly Jaxx).
• CD Review: Christopher Kompanek on Cloud NothingsAttack on Memory [Washington Post]. Performing at the Red Palace.
• CD Review: Mark Jenkins on Perfume Genius‘s Put Your Back N 2 It [Washington Post]. Performing at IOTA.
• Interview: Sriram Gopal talks to Victor Provost [DCist], performing at the Dunes in Columbia Heights.

Sunday 4/1
• Interview: Capital Bop talks to Bill Cole, whose Untempered Ensemble performs Sunday at the Historic Bohemian Caverns on U St.
• Interview: Rudi Greenberg talks to Andrew W.K., who’s playing to a sold-out 9:30 Club.
• Article: Rudi Greenberg muses on songs that Bruce Springsteen has covered. The Boss is playing at the Verizon Center.

Thursday 4/5
• Interview: David Malitz on Charles Bradley [Washington Post], performing at the 9:30 Club.
• CD Review: Moira E McLaughlin on School of Seven Bells‘s Ghostory [Washington Post]. Performing at the Black Cat.



Other Articles


• Chris Richards muses on musicians who wear masks [Washington Post]. As the hyper-connectivity of social media pulls our planet into a tighter huddle, [Aaron] Jerome [of SBTRKT] is one in a growing number of vanguard pop artists flirting with the idea of anonymity. They often wear masks. Some conceal their names. A few refuse to perform in public altogether. Many make electronic music, including Deadmau5, the Bloody Beetroots, Redshape and Zomby. And although artists and authors have worked under pseudonyms for centuries, protecting one’s anonymity today feels like an implicit protest against our increasingly Facebookish society. These artists are asserting their power by refusing to be identified, asking us to like them without clicking “Like”.

• Local band news: local metal band Division welcomes a new singer, Scott Stewart. If that name sounds familiar, he was the band’s original singer.

• Local musician news: Justin Jones will be releasing a full-length record on 9:30 Records [Washington CityPaper].

• Speaking of the CityPaper, check out their Best of DC edition. Lots of great music picks in the issue’s Arts & Entertainment section.

• A rare Louis Armstrong recording is going to be re-released by Smithsonian Folkways Recordings [Washington Post].

• CD Review: DC’s Joe Colly on Miike Snow‘s Happy to You [Pitchfork].



Live Reviews


• Dave McKenna on Noel Gallagher with his High Flying Birds (and some Oasis tunes) at the Warner Theatre [Washington Post].

• Chris Klimek on Fiona Apple at 6th & I [Washington CityPaper]. Chris Richards also weighs in [Washington Post].

• Robert Battey on pianist Yoonie Han at the Kennedy Center’s Terrace Theater [Washington Post].

• Charles T Downey on Elias Quartet at the Library of Congress [Washington Post].



Contests


• The Vinyl District is giving away a copy of VCMB‘s Ssss on vinyl. Winner must have a North American mailing address. (contest ends today).
• (S)Hell fest is giving away a T-shirt! Enter via twitter using these instructions (contest ends Saturday 3/31 at noon).
• The Vinyl District is giving away a signed copy of Rufus Wainwright‘s Out of the Game. Winner must have a North American mailing address (contest ends Tuesday 4/3).
• The Vinyl District is giving away a copy of Donovan Quinn‘s Honky Tonk Medusa on vinyl. Winner must have a North American mailing address (contest ends Tuesday 4/3).
• DC101 is giving away a pair of tickets to Creed at the Warner Theatre on 4/24 (contest ends Sunday 4/15).
• DC101 is giving away a pair of tickets to Nickelback at the Verizon Center on 4/30 (contest ends Monday 4/23).
• DC101 is giving away a pair of tickets to Marilyn Manson at the Fillmore Silver Spring on 5/1 (contest ends Sunday 4/1).
• DC101 is giving away a pair of tickets to the sold-out Radiohead show at the Verizon Center on 6/3 (contest ends Sunday 5/27).
• DC101 is giving away a pair of tickets to Dave Matthews Band at Jiffy Lube Live on 6/16 (contest ends Sunday 6/3).

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ShowlistDC Music Notes: Thursday 03-29-12



Articles


• Uber-hipster blog Brightest Young Things is expanding to New York [Washington CityPaper]. 2011 was Brightest Young Things’ most successful year, and its first profitable one, [BYT leader Svetlana] Legetic says. But she isn’t inching back from the operation’s online presence to take advantage of the breathing room that comes with a bigger staff. (The site now has six full-time employees with benefits, plus two part-timers and an army of volunteer contributors, compared to three full-timers a year ago.) As far as bylines go, Legetic will still write the site’s weekend events newsletter, and guide its more ambitious editorial projects. But a lot of her energy in the next few months will involve Brightest Young Things’ more imperial ambitions. This summer, the site is expanding to New York.

• The Washington Post’s sixth annual Peeps contest (sorry, we just can’t bring ourselves to call it by its official name, “Peeps Show”) has concluded. We do love this music-related one, so kudos to Derek Hills and Brinda Krishnan (of the band Not My Sister) for their sugary creation! There are a few close-ups here and here and here.

• Venue news: Strathmore has announced its summer season [Washington Post]. We’ve got their shows listed here.

• Local band press: Southern metal rockers King Giant talk to ThisIsNotAScene.com.

• Local arts news: Scott Tucker (Cornell University’s choral director) will be taking over as the head of the Choral Arts Society [Washington Post]. The Society’s current head, Norman Scribner founded the organization 46 years ago and is retiring at the end of this season. Tucker’s experience includes fundraising (of particular interest in today’s climate), commissioning new work — he commissioned more than 30 new pieces while at Cornell, including works by Augusta Read Thomas, Chen Yi and Libby Larsen — and world music. He spent part of a sabbatical year in South Africa, learning traditional music by rote from an expert who requested that he not write anything down, saying, according to Tucker, that “those staff lines are like prison bars to the music.”

• Tittsworth is really excited about the return of Trouble & Bass to DC (and has a pair of tickets to give away to a promotion-friendly twitter user).

• Christopher Porter on Doug Aitken‘s “Song 1″ at the Hirshhorn [Express].

• Concert planners: DCist’s This Week in Jazz. TBD celebrates April Fools’ weekend with shows that are not a joke. The Going Out Guide has compiled all the shows that go on sale this week.

• CD Review: DC’s Joe Colly takes on Wiz Khalifa‘s Taylor Allderdice [Pitchfork].

• Listen: Swedes First Aid Kit stopped by NPR’s DC office for a Tiny Desk Concert.



Live Reviews


• Patrick Foster on Sleigh Bells and Liturgy at the 9:30 Club [Washington Post]. Apparently the headliner– which has 2 albums under its belt– played a short, 45-minute set.

• Jenn Bress on the Joy Formidable with A Place to Bury Strangers at the 9:30 Club [the Vinyl District].

• Capital Bop has a review and photos of the latest DC Jazz Loft at the Dunes – featuring trombonist Joseph Bowie with drummer Nasar Abadey, Defunkt, and Jessica Boykin-Settles with her quartet.



Contests


• The Vinyl District is giving away a 2-LP set of the Mastodon album The Hunter. Winner must have a North American mailing address. (contest ends today).
• The Vinyl District is giving away a copy of VCMB‘s Ssss on vinyl. Winner must have a North American mailing address. (contest ends Friday 3/30).
• (S)Hell fest is giving away a T-shirt! Enter via twitter using these instructions (contest ends Saturday 3/31 at noon).
• The Vinyl District is giving away a signed copy of Rufus Wainwright‘s Out of the Game. Winner must have a North American mailing address (contest ends Tuesday 4/3).
• The Vinyl District is giving away a copy of Donovan Quinn‘s Honky Tonk Medusa on vinyl. Winner must have a North American mailing address (contest ends Tuesday 4/3).
• DC101 is giving away a pair of tickets to Creed at the Warner Theatre on 4/24 (contest ends Sunday 4/15).
• DC101 is giving away a pair of tickets to Nickelback at the Verizon Center on 4/30 (contest ends Monday 4/23).
• DC101 is giving away a pair of tickets to Marilyn Manson at the Fillmore Silver Spring on 5/1 (contest ends Sunday 4/1).
• DC101 is giving away a pair of tickets to the sold-out Radiohead show at the Verizon Center on 6/3 (contest ends Sunday 5/27).
• DC101 is giving away a pair of tickets to Dave Matthews Band at Jiffy Lube Live on 6/16 (contest ends Sunday 6/3).

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ShowlistDC Music Notes: Wednesday 03-28-12



Articles


• Monica Hesse tells us all about Japanese girl group AKB48‘s trip to DC [Washington Post]. How to explain AKB48. The group contains 60-ish members, selected through a rolling “American Idol”-esque audition process. It is the largest pop group in the world. When its members get older, they graduate and are replaced with trainee AKB48s. The group’s past 11 singles have topped Japanese charts, and Japanese citizens get to vote on which members will appear in which videos. Tickets to the band’s shows are distributed via lottery. AKB48 is huge.

• Ally Schweitzer continues the Lincoln Theatre saga– oh, and hey, she’s got a copy of Blues Alley owner Harry Schnipper‘s bid to purchase the venue [Washington CityPaper].

• If you’re headed out to the Hamilton, check out Washingtonian’s restaurant review for tips on what to eat (or not) while you’re there.

• Heavy Uber Alles brings us 6 heavy tunes every Tuesday. This week’s edition includes High On Fire, Kylesa, Danzig, and more.

• Planning guides: DCist’s This Week in Hip-Hop. Going Out Guide’s Nightlife Agenda [Washington Post].

• Listen: Washerwoman‘s debut 7″, on Cricket Cemetery Records [Washington CityPaper].

• Listen: RAtheMC‘s the Grace Jones Experiment Mixtape [DC Mumbo Sauce].



Live reviews


• Brianne Nemiroff on Jordan Knight at the Fillmore [TBD].

• Stephen Bradley on Beast Make Bombs at DC9 [Washington Times].

• Jenn Bress on Miniature Tigers with Geographer and the Chain Gang of 1974 at DC9 [the Vinyl District].

• We Love DC on Thomas Dolby at the Birchmere.



Contests


• The Vinyl District is giving away a 2-LP set of the Mastodon album The Hunter. Winner must have a North American mailing address. (contest ends Thursday 3/29).
• The Vinyl District is giving away a copy of VCMB‘s Ssss on vinyl. Winner must have a North American mailing address. (contest ends Friday 3/30).
• (S)Hell fest is giving away a T-shirt! Enter via twitter using these instructions (contest ends Saturday 3/31 at noon).
• The Vinyl District is giving away a signed copy of Rufus Wainwright‘s Out of the Game. Winner must have a North American mailing address (contest ends Tuesday 4/3).
• The Vinyl District is giving away a copy of Donovan Quinn‘s Honky Tonk Medusa on vinyl. Winner must have a North American mailing address (contest ends Tuesday 4/3).
• DC101 is giving away a pair of tickets to Creed at the Warner Theatre on 4/24 (contest ends Sunday 4/15).
• DC101 is giving away a pair of tickets to Nickelback at the Verizon Center on 4/30 (contest ends Monday 4/23).
• DC101 is giving away a pair of tickets to Marilyn Manson at the Fillmore Silver Spring on 5/1 (contest ends Sunday 4/1).
• DC101 is giving away a pair of tickets to the sold-out Radiohead show at the Verizon Center on 6/3 (contest ends Sunday 5/27).
• DC101 is giving away a pair of tickets to Dave Matthews Band at Jiffy Lube Live on 6/16 (contest ends Sunday 6/3).

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ShowlistDC Music Notes: Tuesday 03-27-12



Articles


Fat Trel releases Nightmare on E Street mixtape [Washington Post].

Les Paul‘s guitars go to auction [Washington Post].

• Anne Midgette talks about the Johansen Competition for string players ages 13-17 [Washington Post]. [T]he naked honesty of many of Friday’s performances awakened in me all of that gee-whiz, ain’t-classical-music-amazing sentiment I so often seek to combat.

• DCist’s Weekly Music Agenda.

• Wanted: Nightclub lighting technician.



Live Reviews


• Dean Rogers on Mythbusters at the Warner Theatre [the Rogers Revue].



New Releases – with local reviews


Madonna: MDNA – Reviewed by Chris Richards [Washington Post] and by Andrew Leahey [Washington Times]. Maura Judkis at the Post compiles other critics’ reviews.
Lionel Richie: Tuskegee – Reviewed by Allison Stewart [Washington Post].
Rusko: Songs – Reviewed by David Malitz [Washington Post].
Diggy Simmons: Unexpected Arrival – Reviewed by Sarah Godfrey [Washington Post].
Justin Townes Earle: Nothing’s Going to Change the Way You Feel About Me Now – Reviewed by Andrew Leahey [Washington Times] (scroll down)



Contests


Darkest Hour is giving away Grindesign art to peopele who “like” this facebook image and page (contest is open until it reaches 1,000 likes).
• DCHeavyMetal.com is giving away a pair of tickets to see Alcest, deafheaven, Black Clouds, and Auroboros at DC9 on 3/29 (contest ends today at 5 PM).
• The Vinyl District is giving away a 2-LP set of the Mastodon album The Hunter. Winner must have a North American mailing address. (contest ends Thursday 3/28).
• The Vinyl District is giving away a copy of VCMB‘s Ssss on vinyl. Winner must have a North American mailing address. (contest ends Friday 3/29).
• DC101 is giving away a pair of tickets to Creed at the Warner Theatre on 4/24 (contest ends Sunday 4/15).
• DC101 is giving away a pair of tickets to Nickelback at the Verizon Center on 4/30 (contest ends Monday 4/23).
• DC101 is giving away a pair of tickets to Marilyn Manson at the Fillmore Silver Spring on 5/1 (contest ends Sunday 4/1).
• DC101 is giving away a pair of tickets to the sold-out Radiohead show at the Verizon Center on 6/3 (contest ends Sunday 5/27).
• DC101 is giving away a pair of tickets to Dave Matthews Band at Jiffy Lube Live on 6/16 (contest ends Sunday 6/3).

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ShowlistDC Music Notes: Monday 03-26-12



Notes from this weekend


So I spent most of the weekend out in Reston for the annual SingStrong a cappella festival, which featured a long list of performers including Sing-Off winners Pentatonix, locals– and Sing-Off alums– Afro-Blue, and live-looper Julia Easterlin. Easterlin was by far my favorite performer of the weekend; her original compositions were outstanding, and it was really impressive to watch her build her layered harmonies live.

Then last night, I headed up to Baltimore to see technical instrumental trio Dysrhythmia at Sonar’s Talking Head Lounge. Really awesome show– the guys previewed all new songs from their as-yet-unrecorded album, and bassist Colin Marston broke a string twice. (Luckily, both of the opening bands on the tour played 6-string basses, so he just borrowed one for the rest of the set.)



Articles


• Local band news: death-doomers Ilsa have signed with A389 for their next album [Brooklyn Vegan].

Midori is coming to Alexandria– to perform and teach [Washington Post].

The end of Justin Moyer‘s “Edie Sedgwick goes to SXSW” [Washington CityPaper].

• CD Review: DC writer Zach Kelly on TanlinesMixed Emotions [Pitchfork].



Live Reviews


• Mark Jenkins on Gotye at the 9:30 Club [Washington Post]. It’s hard to describe Gotye without making him sound more exotic than he really is.

• Mark Jenkins on Angelique Kidjo at Lisner Auditorium [Washington Post].

• Michael J West on Kevin Eubanks at Blues Alley [Washington Post]. While most Americans know Kevin Eubanks for his 15 years as Jay Leno’s bandleader and sidekick, jazz devotees remember the guitarist’s straight-ahead bop and funky, world-music-imbued experiments from his pre-”Tonight Show” career. The audience that packed Blues Alley to see him Thursday night, however, got neither of the above.

• Anne Midgette on Shuffle.Play.Listen (the collaboration between Christopher O’Riley and Matt Haimovitz) at George Mason [Washington Post].

• Stephen Brookes on the BSO performing works of Higdon and Tchaikovsky at Strathmore [Washington Post].

• Tom Huizenga on the NSO‘s performance of works by Janacek and Dvorak at the Kennedy Center [Washington Post].



Contests


Darkest Hour is giving away Grindesign art to peopele who “like” this facebook image and page (contest is open until it reaches 1,000 likes).
• The Vinyl District is giving away a pair of tickets to see DJ Shadow at the FIllmore Silver Spring on 3/27 (contest ends today at noon).
• The Vinyl District is giving away a pair of tickets to see the Joy Formidable at the 9:30 Club on 3/26 (contest ends today at noon).
• DCHeavyMetal.com is giving away a pair of tickets to see Alcest, deafheaven, Black Clouds, and Auroboros at DC9 on 3/29 (contest ends Tuesday 3/27 at 5 PM).
• The Vinyl District is giving away a 2-LP set of the Mastodon album The Hunter. Winner must have a North American mailing address. (contest ends Thursday 3/28).
• The Vinyl District is giving away a copy of VCMB‘s Ssss on vinyl. Winner must have a North American mailing address. (contest ends Friday 3/29).
• DC101 is giving away a pair of tickets to Creed at the Warner Theatre on 4/24 (contest ends Sunday 4/15).
• DC101 is giving away a pair of tickets to Nickelback at the Verizon Center on 4/30 (contest ends Monday 4/23).
• DC101 is giving away a pair of tickets to Marilyn Manson at the Fillmore Silver Spring on 5/1 (contest ends Sunday 4/1).
• DC101 is giving away a pair of tickets to the sold-out Radiohead show at the Verizon Center on 6/3 (contest ends Sunday 5/27).
• DC101 is giving away a pair of tickets to Dave Matthews Band at Jiffy Lube Live on 6/16 (contest ends Sunday 6/3).

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ShowlistDC Music Notes: Friday 03-23-12



Weekend/Week-Ahead Planner


• Helpful planners: Washingtonian’s Music Picks. TBD’s guide to free shows this weekend. Washington CityPaper’s Jazz Setlist. DCist’s This Week in Hip-Hop. Around the Mall’s events. We Love DC loves weekends.
• CD Review: Catherine Lewis on Sons of Bill‘s Sirens [Washington Post]. Performing tonight at IOTA.
• CD Review: Mark Jenkins on Polica‘s Give You the Ghost [Washington Post]. Performing tonight at the Red Palace.
• Interview + Listening: Lindsay Zoladz talks to Heavy Breathing (a band that includes former members of The Apes) [Washington CityPaper]. Performing Saturday at the Capitol Skyline Hotel.
• Preview: Nancy Dunham on Tom Rush [Washington Examiner]. Performing Saturday at the Birchmere.
• CD Review: Mike Joyce on Joe Louis Walker‘s Hotfire [Washington Post]. Performing Saturday at the State Theatre.
• Preview: Emily Cary on Shuffle. Play. Listen. (a collaboration between pianist Christopher O’Riley and cellist Matt Haimovitz) [Washington Examiner]. Performing Saturday at George Mason University Center for the Arts.
• Interview: Brandon Weigel on Thomas Dolby [Washington Post]. Performing Sunday at the Birchmere.
• CD Review: Jess Righthand on Grace Woodroofe‘s Always Want [Washington Post]. Performing Sunday at the Black Cat.
• CD Review: Dan Miller on the Joy Formidable‘s The Big Roar [Washington Post]. Performing Monday 3/26 at the 9:30 Club.



Other Articles/Videos


• Local power metal band A Sound of Thunder has just released a music video for “Muderous Horde” (recommended if you like snakes!). The band’s new album Out of the Darkness comes out next week, and the band is celebrating with a CD release show at Empire in Springfield (formerly Jaxx) on Saturday 3/31.

• If yesterday’s Washington Post boy band article wasn’t enough boy band talk for you, there’s more boy band talk on the Washington Post.

The Onion has ended circulation in DC [Washington CityPaper]. No great surprise from us (most of the Onion bins we saw were always empty, with the exception of the ones right outside the Columbia Heights metro station– the paper had clearly been cutting back its distribution this year).

• Erica Bruce’s photos of DC in SXSW [Washington CityPaper].



Live Reviews


• Charles T. Downey on NSO and Washington Chorus‘s performance of Dvorak’s “Stabat Mater Dolorosa”, Op. 58, at the Kennedy Center [Washington Post].

• Catherine McCarthy on Justice at the 9:30 Club [DCist].

• We Love DC on Kasabian at the 9:30 Club.



Contests


• LiveNation Latino’s Facebook Page has tickets to Franco de Vita at the Fillmore on 3/28. You have to install a Facebook app in order to enter (I didn’t do that, so I don’t know when this contest ends).
• The Vinyl District is giving away a three-month Slacker Premium Subscription (contest ends today).
• The Vinyl District is giving away a pair of tickets to Def Leppard, Poison, and Lita Ford at Merriweather Post Pavilion on 7/10 (contest ends today at noon).
• The Fillmore Silver Spring is using Facebook to give away tickets to Jordan Knight on 3/25 (contest ends Saturday 3/24 at noon).
Darkest Hour is giving away Grindesign art to peopele who “like” this facebook image and page (contest is open until it reaches 1,000 likes).
• The Vinyl District is giving away a pair of tickets to see DJ Shadow at the FIllmore Silver Spring on 3/27 (contest ends Monday 3/26 at noon).
• The Vinyl District is giving away a pair of tickets to see the Joy Formidable at the 9:30 Club on 3/26 (contest ends Monday 3/26 at noon).
• DCHeavyMetal.com is giving away a pair of tickets to see Alcest, deafheaven, Black Clouds, and Auroboros at DC9 on 3/29 (contest ends Tuesday 3/27 at 5 PM).
• The Vinyl District is giving away a 2-LP set of the Mastodon album The Hunter. Winner must have a North American mailing address. (contest ends Thursday 3/28).
• DC101 is giving away a pair of tickets to Creed at the Warner Theatre on 4/24 (contest ends Sunday 4/15).
• DC101 is giving away a pair of tickets to Nickelback at the Verizon Center on 4/30 (contest ends Monday 4/23).
• DC101 is giving away a pair of tickets to Marilyn Manson at the Fillmore Silver Spring on 5/1 (contest ends Sunday 4/1).
• DC101 is giving away a pair of tickets to the sold-out Radiohead show at the Verizon Center on 6/3 (contest ends Sunday 5/27).
• DC101 is giving away a pair of tickets to Dave Matthews Band at Jiffy Lube Live on 6/16 (contest ends Sunday 6/3).

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ShowlistDC Music Notes: Thursday 03-22-12

We’ve gotten some feedback that we should change our section headers on this blog, so we’re going to be testing out some formatting over the next few days. If you like (or hate!) what you see, feel free to let us know, either with a comment on this blog or an email to showlistdc@gmail.com.



Notes from Last Night


Last night, I went out to the Black Cat to see Bowerbirds. The show itself was lovely, but I really couldn’t hear much of anything above the audience chatter. I guess that’s becoming the norm now, but seriously: especially at quiet shows, if you want to talk, please just move to the back! I couldn’t understand why so many people were holding loud conversations right underneath the stage. Maybe people figure that once they’ve paid their $15 cover, they can do whatever the hell they want to, even if it’s completely disruptive to everyone else in attendance– and to the band on stage. I went to over 130 shows last year, and I don’t remember a single one being as chatty as the show last night, which is a disappointment for sure.



Articles/Videos


Sweetlife Festival has announced the lineup of its second stage: Delta Spirit, Twin Shadow, Zola Jesus, the Knocks, RAC, U.S. Royalty, Yuna, Corey Haim, LP, Cut Copy’s Ben Browning, and Bluebrain. Jonathan L. Fischer reacts [Washington CityPaper].

Scott Crawford is putting together a documentary of the D.C. punk scene from 1980 to 1990 and needs your help, says the Washington Post. The film is slated to be called Salad Days, and you can check out their facebook page for ways to get in touch.

• Speaking of nostalgia, Melinda Newman tells us that the boy band is making a comeback [Washington Post]. She cites One Direction, Big Time Rush, and the Wanted.

Over the past few years, the pop airwaves have been hip-hop-dominated but, during the past several months, the music has segued into rhythmic-leaning pop and then into straight-ahead pop. “Acts like Katy Perry and Rihanna have paved the way for pure pop music’s return,” says Keith Caulfield, Billboard’s associate director of charts. “What’s been missing were girl groups and boy bands. It’s such a good environment for this kind of act in pop music right now.”

• April Fools Day comes 10 days early: Erik Wemple points us to an interview with a Bono impersonator that was advertised as a chat with Bono himself [Washington Post].

• Anne Midgette wrote a lengthy article on a humanitarian group working to bring the National Symphony Orchestra of North Korea on tour in the U.S. [Washington Post].

• Concert planners: DCist’s This Week in Jazz. TBD tells you about free shows this weekend.

• Concert preview: Solo percussionist Colin Currie at Strathmore tonight [Washington Examiner].

• File under ‘we’re not quite sure what to make of this’: Anne Midgette on self-help operas [Washington Post].

• Listen to Fat Trel‘s “Intro (By the Way)” [Washington CityPaper].

Day 12 of Justin Moyer‘s “Edie Sedgwick goes to SXSW” [Washington CityPaper].

• Heavy Uber Alles gives us six heavy tunes every Tuesday. This week’s edition highlights songs that are great for this warmer weather.

• CD Review: DC writer Marc Masters on Imikuzushi by Oren Ambarchi / Keiji Haino / Jim O’Rourke [Pitchfork].



Live Reviews


Robert Battey on Prague Philharmonia at the Kenney Center’s Eisenhower Theater [Washington Post]. Part of the KenCen’s “Music of Budapest, Prague, and Vienna” festival.



Contests


• LiveNation Latino’s Facebook Page has tickets to Franco de Vita at the Fillmore on 3/28. You have to install a Facebook app in order to enter (I didn’t do that, so I don’t know when this contest ends).
Tonight, head out to Fado in Chinatown, where DC101′s Ty Bailey will be giving away tickets to the DC101 Chili Cook-Off.
• The Vinyl District is giving away a copy of Electric Guest’s Troubleman 7″ (white). Winner must have a North American mailing address (contest ends today).
• The Vinyl District is giving away a pair of tickets to see Housse De Racket at the 9:30 Club on 3/25 (contest ends today at noon).
• The Vinyl District is giving away a copy of Rubblebucket‘s Live In Chicago DVD. Winner must have a North American mailing address (contest ends Thursday 3/22).
• The Vinyl District is giving away a three-month Slacker Premium Subscription (contest ends Friday 3/23).
• The Vinyl District is giving away a pair of tickets to Def Leppard, Poison, and Lita Ford at Merriweather Post Pavilion on 7/10 (contest ends Friday 3/23 at noon).
• The Fillmore Silver Spring is using Facebook to give away tickets to Jordan Knight on 3/25 (contest ends Saturday 3/24 at noon).
Darkest Hour is giving away Grindesign art to peopele who “like” this facebook image and page (contest is open until it reaches 1,000 likes).
• DCHeavyMetal.com is giving away a pair of tickets to see Alcest, deafheaven, Black Clouds, and Auroboros at DC9 on 3/29 (contest ends Tuesday 3/27 at 5 PM).
• DC101 is giving away a pair of tickets to Creed at the Warner Theatre on 4/24 (contest ends Sunday 4/15).
• DC101 is giving away a pair of tickets to Nickelback at the Verizon Center on 4/30 (contest ends Monday 4/23).
• DC101 is giving away a pair of tickets to Marilyn Manson at the Fillmore Silver Spring on 5/1 (contest ends Sunday 4/1).
• DC101 is giving away a pair of tickets to the sold-out Radiohead show at the Verizon Center on 6/3 (contest ends Sunday 5/27).
• DC101 is giving away a pair of tickets to Dave Matthews Band at Jiffy Lube Live on 6/16 (contest ends Sunday 6/3).

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ShowlistDC Music Notes: Wednesday 03-21-12

Stuff to read:

• Not local but still worth mentioning: We reminded you yesterday that flash mobs aren’t cool, but apparently Renee Fleming and Yo-Yo Ma didn’t get the memo. The pair performed at a food court in Chicago with some Chicago high school students and members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (apparently the CSO sent out an email announcing the concert, which reminds us that the only thing less cool than a flash mob is announcing the flash mob in advance. Seriously, people!). Anyway, as much as we hate flash mobs, we can bet that this performance was a step up from Fleming’s 2010 album Dark Hope, a collection of covers of songs by Muse (“Endlessly”), Band of Horses (“No One’s Gonna Love You”), Arcade Fire (“Intervention”), Tears For Fears (“Mad World”), and Peter Gabriel (“In Your Eyes”). (No, we did not make any of that up.) At the flash mob performance, Fleming kept with a safer song choice: “America the Beautiful”.

• Concert updates: Fiona Apple‘s show tonight at 6th & I has been posponed a week, to Wednesday 3/28. Here’s a quick report from the Washington Post. The Washington Examiner, on the other hand, didn’t get the memo that the show is postponed and instead published this preview of the concert.

• Documentary alert: The Ballad of Genesis and Lady Jaye opens this Friday at Landmark’s E Street Cinema. That’s “Genesis” as in Genesis P-Orridge of Psychic TV, and Chris Porter wrote this column about the two [Express].

• We’re still a little sick of seeing the word SXSW, but we don’t at all mind reading DCist’s SXSW 2012 Scouting Report, especially since they kept it local by telling us when those bands would be performing around here.

• Planning guides: DCist’s Weekly Music Agenda. Going Out Gurus’ Best Events for the week.

• Washington Women in Jazz Festival: Capital Bop has a nice interview with Amy K Bormet on the 2nd annual Washington Women in Jazz Festival, which runs from today through next Tuesday. We’ve got all the shows listed on our concert calendar, or you can check out the schedule of events on the WWJF page.

• Local band news: Listen to U.S. Royalty‘s new single “Sleepy Eyes” [All Things Go].

• Marcus J. Moore looks back on The Five One [Washington CityPaper].

Day 11 of Justin Moyer‘s “Edie Sedgwick goes to SXSW” [Washington CityPaper].

• Live reviews: Charles T Downey on L’Arpeggiata at the Library of Congress [Washington Post]. Robert Battey on Ute Lemper at the Kennedy Center’s Terrace Theater [Washington Post]. Stephen Bradley on Narrows at DC9 [Washington Times] (Key quotes: “DC has never had much of a hardcore scene, at least not like other major East Coast cities”. Also: “It’s not entirely surprising that so few hardcore bands are playing now.” I wonder how quotes like those would hold up on the DC Hardcore forums.) Katie Willmott on Dr. Dog at the 9:30 Club [the Vinyl District].

Stuff to win:
• The Vinyl District is giving away a copy of the Big Pink‘s Future This on vinyl. Winner must have a North American mailing address (contest ends today).
• The Vinyl District is giving away a pair of tickets to Band of Skulls‘ sold-out show at the 9:30 Club on 3/24 (contest ends today at noon).
• LiveNation Latino’s Facebook Page has tickets to Franco de Vita at the Fillmore on 3/28. You have to install a Facebook app in order to enter (I didn’t do that, so I don’t know when this contest ends).
• Thursday night, head out to Fado in Chinatown, where DC101′s Ty Bailey will be giving away tickets to the DC101 Chili Cook-Off.
• The Vinyl District is giving away a copy of Electric Guest’s Troubleman 7″ (white). Winner must have a North American mailing address (contest ends Thursday 3/22).
• The Vinyl District is giving away a pair of tickets to see Housse De Racket at the 9:30 Club on 3/25 (contest ends Thursday 3/22 at noon).
• The Vinyl District is giving away a copy of Rubblebucket‘s Live In Chicago DVD. Winner must have a North American mailing address (contest ends Thursday 3/22).
• The Vinyl District is giving away a three-month Slacker Premium Subscription (contest ends Friday 3/23).
• DCHeavyMetal.com is giving away a pair of tickets to see Alcest, deafheaven, Black Clouds, and Auroboros at DC9 on 3/29 (contest ends Tuesday 3/27 at 5 PM).

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ShowlistDC Music Notes: Tuesday 03-20-12

Stuff to read:
• There were more DC-related documentaries at SXSW than just that Ginger Baker doc; perhaps you’ve heard about the documentary Bad Brains: A Band in DC? If no, then hop over to this interview with co-director Mandy Stein and Bad Brains singer H.R. from SXSW [the Awl].
• Local band news: bassist Joe Cariola is leaving operatic metal band Cassandra Syndrome, according to a note posted on the band’s facebook page. Bassists interested in auditioning can contact the band at cassandrasyndrome@gmail.com.
• Local band video: Plums, “Three Windows” [Trigger Cut].
• Preview: Washington Women in Jazz Festival [DCist].
• Check out mashup dude John Beckham, who found inspiration in a Trans Am tune [Washington CityPaper].
• Remember when flash mobs were cool? OK, we don’t either, but anyway: a troupe from the Teelin School of Irish Dance flash-mobbed the Westfields Annapolis Mall on Saturday. We’re not sure what LMFAO has to do with Irish Dance (or St Patty’s Day), but you can watch the video here [Washington Post].
Day 10 of Justin Moyer‘s “Edie Sedgwick goes to SXSW” [Washington CityPaper].
• Live reviews: We Love DC on Hank3 at the 9:30 Club. Anne Midgette on Murray Perahia at Strathmore [Washington Post].

Today’s New Releases (with local reviews):
Melanie Fiona: the MF Life – at the Hamilton on 3/28. Reviewed by Sarah Godfrey [Washington Post].
Casey James: Casey James. Reviewed by Andrew Leahy (scroll past the Shins review) [Washington Times].
Odd Future: the OF Tape Vol. 2. Reviewed by Sarah Godfrey [Washington Post].
the Shins: Port of Morrow – at Merriweather Post Pavilion on 4/28 as part of Sweetlife Festival. Reviewed by David Malitz [Washington Post] and by Andrew Leahy [Washington Times].
Esperanza Spalding: Radio Music Society – at the Howard Theatre on 5/12. Reviewed by Mike Joyce [the Washington Post].

Lost in the Trees: A Church That Fits Our Needs – at the Black Cat on 4/14.
Margot and the Nuclear So & So’s: Rot Gut Domestic – at the Rock & Roll Hotel on 4/13.
Lee Ranaldo: Between the Times and the Tides – at the 9:30 Club on 5/13 (opening for M.Ward).
Unsane: Wreck – at Sonar on 5/25 as part of Maryland DeathFest.

Stuff to win:
• The Vinyl District is giving away a pair of tickets to Vetusta Morla at U Street Music Hall on 3/21 (contest ends today at noon).
• The Vinyl District is giving away a copy of the Big Pink‘s Future This on vinyl. Winner must have a North American mailing address (contest ends Wednesday 3/21).
• The Vinyl District is giving away a pair of tickets to Band of Skulls‘ sold-out show at the 9:30 Club on 3/24 (contest ends Wednesday 3/21 at noon).
• Thursday night, head out to Fado in Chinatown, where DC101′s Ty Bailey will be giving away tickets to the DC101 Chili Cook-Off.
• The Vinyl District is giving away a copy of Electric Guest’s Troubleman 7″ (white). Winner must have a North American mailing address (contest ends Thursday 3/22).
• The Vinyl District is giving away a copy of Rubblebucket‘s Live In Chicago DVD. Winner must have a North American mailing address (contest ends Thursday 3/22).
• The Vinyl District is giving away a three-month Slacker Premium Subscription (contest ends Friday 3/23).

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ShowlistDC Music Notes: Monday 03-19-12

Stuff to read:
• Roger Catlin rants about Ticketmaster and its annoying fees and policies [Washington Post]. On the stupid fake-words that Ticketmaster makes customers enter, Catlin writes:

The method serves mostly to slow people down by having to retype the barely legible wavy words, while it allows scalpers to buy up every ticket to, say, a Bruce Springsteen show at Verizon Center on April 1 that sold out in one minute according to my computer. Can’t figure out why I got shut out while the local scalper Web site lists literally hundreds of tickets available at prices up to $1,000 each.

The problem is: everybody KNOWS how much Ticketmaster stinks, but if you want to go to a concert at a Ticketmaster venue, you’ve gotta use ‘em.

Artomatic 2012 is still going to be in Crystal City– but at a different venue than previously announced [ARLnow]. Artomatic starts on May 18.
• David Mermelstein on the collaboration between pianist Christopher O’Riley (known for his adaptations of Radiohead songs) and cellist Matt Haimovitz (who is known for playing traditional classical music in non-traditional venues) [Washington Post].
• Book Review: Aaron Leitko on Gary Marcus‘s book Guitar Zero: the New Musician and the Science of Learning (available on Amazon).

In “Guitar Zero,” Marcus uses his musical midlife crisis to frame a discussion of the science of adult learning and music’s effect on the human brain. For the past couple of decades, developmental psychologists have believed that complex skills, such as playing an instrument, are best acquired during brief windows of time, usually in early childhood, when the brain is more malleable.

• Apparently everyone wants to talk to Fat Trel. Chris Richards at the Washington Post interviewed the rapper. Fat Trel was the cover of last week’s CityPaper as well.
• Hamil R. Harris reports on opera singers bringing “Art Songs” back to church [Washington Post].
Day 9 of Justin Moyer‘s “Edie Sedgwick goes to SXSW” [Washington CityPaper]. Also, Chris Richards has his latest SXSW report [Washington Post]. The corporate presence at this year’s SXSW felt oppressive, contaminating the festival’s hallowed musical ecosystem of sharing and discovery. Bemoaners have bemoaned that SXSW has slowly lost its soul over the course of 26 years, but this go-round was exponentially yuckier than last spring’s. Nearly every musical transaction felt sticky with Mountain Dew.
• Live Reviews: Megan Buerger on The-Dream at Fillmore Silver Spring [Washington Post]. Andy Hess on John K Samson at the Black Cat [DCist]. Anne Midgette on Vadim Repin at Strathmore [Washington Post]. Cecelia Porter on BSO at Strathmore [Washington Post]. Stephen Brookes on Folger Consort at Folger Shakespeare Library’s Elizabethan Theatre [Washington Post].

Stuff to win:
• The Vinyl District is giving away a pair of lawn tickets to see the Black Keys at Merriweather Post Pavilion on 5/18. (contest ends today at noon).
• The Vinyl District is giving away a pair of tickets to Vetusta Morla at U Street Music Hall on 3/21 (contest ends Tuesday 3/20 at noon).
• The Vinyl District is giving away a copy of the Big Pink‘s Future This on vinyl. Winner must have a North American mailing address (contest ends Wednesday 3/21).
• The Vinyl District is giving away a copy of Electric Guest’s Troubleman 7″ (white). Winner must have a North American mailing address (contest ends Thursday 3/22).
• The Vinyl District is giving away a three-month Slacker Premium Subscription (contest ends Friday 3/23).

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