Tonight – Friday, 22 June
• Preview/Interview: Mark Jenkins talks to Image Band [Washington Post]. Part of the Reggae Night at Carter Barron Amphitheatre.
• CD Review: Walk the Moon: Walk the Moon. Reviewed by Mark Jenkins [Washington Post]. At the Black Cat.
• Preview: Matt Siblo on Hot Snakes [Washington CityPaper]. At the Rock & Roll Hotel.
• Preview/Interview: Marie Gullard on Angela Winbush [Washington Examiner]. At Blues Alley tonight, Saturday, and Sunday.
• The latest on BYT‘s “Write a suicide note to win Morrissey tickets” situation: If you didn’t think that BYT changed the contest on its own, you were right. Alex Baca at the Washington CityPaper talked to a representative of contest sponsor IMP, who confirmed that IMP asked BYT to change the contest. To catch up on how this story unfolded, here’s the backstory: BYT posted a contest on Monday asking readers to write suicide notes in order to enter a contest to win tickets to Morrissey’s show at Strathmore. I wrote about this in Tuesday’s Music Notes. The Washington CityPaper picked up the story later that day and got some quotes from BYT managing editor Logan Donaldson. On Tuesday night, BYT quietly changed the contest to say “string together a couple of paragraphs using only Morrissey’s lyrics”; I printed the full text of the new contest and a rant from their Assistant Editor Stephanie Breijo in Wednesday’s Music Notes, and DCist picked up the story, getting an additional quote from Donaldson. THEN, BYT took its contest down entirely (if you click on the contest link now, you’re taken to a login page). The Washington CityPaper reported on that, with an additional statement from Donaldson. And once again, here’s the CityPaper’s interview with IMP spokesperson Audrey Schaefer.
• Does the DC music scene suck? The Washington Post published a letter this weekend from Sean Roussy of Arlington with the headline The Rant: D.C. must face the music. We had some serious problems with the link to the article last night (it kept coming up as “Page Not Found”– seems to be working better now via this link), so we’re reprinting the whole thing here:
The Washington music scene is just awful. Do not get me wrong. There are many fine local bands across various genres in the District, and a plethora of legendary acts for audiophiles in 31 flavors. It is not the music; it is the scene. I specifically mean all of you. Including myself. The reason I know this is that it is something I see myself and that people and bands from other towns tell me, because I have seen many bands in many towns since I was sneaking out to punk matinees at the age of 13. I also watch tour schedules, and there are plenty of awesome acts that skip this town. This is the Imperial Capital. One would think that this would be an important place to showcase talent. However, time and again I end up driving to Baltimore, Richmond or Philadelphia for music. The reason is, simply, that people do not come out on school nights.
The District works too hard and rocks too little. The transient population of this town is comprised of 50 states worth of former safety patrol captains and class presidents who all came here to conquer, and the suburbs are littered with the descendants of a couple generations of their offspring. These are not the kids who made high school fun by hosting all-day jam sessions in their garages. These are the kids who were busy with their eagle Scout badges and their Key club, whatever that is. This particular population of Washington of which I write works too hard to close the club on a school night and show back up for work at 7 a.m. with three hours of sleep. They have their careers to think about and their brains to use. However, I would posit to all of the readers for whom I may have touched a nerve that the world might be a better place if the music scene of Washington visited the music of D.C. once in a while on a school night. Whether you work the hall or scream at the wall, music is the language of the soul. If the pinnacle of power cannot converse at that level, I am afraid the whole American experiment is in trouble.
• On May 1, 1972, Marvin Gaye had a homecoming performance of What’s Going On at the then-new Kennedy Center. To remember the event’s 40th anniversary, the Ken Cen is recreating the show– with John Legend, the National Symphony Orchestra Pops, and Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings (the shows are sold out, by the way). Roger Catlin writes about the original show, that almost didn’t happen [Washington Post]. There’s also a cool map of DC sites with links to Marvin Gaye.
• What happens to old punk clubs when they vacate the building? Apparently they become J.Crew stores– or, at least, that’s what’s happening to the former 9:30 Club at 930 F St NW [Washington CityPaper].
• Interview: Valerie Paschall chats with Trophy Wife [DCist].
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].
