ShowlistDC Music Notes: Tuesday 08-21-12



Today’s New Releases (with locally-penned reviews)

Bloc Party, Four. Reviewed by Elizabeth Nelson [Washington Post].

Blur, Parklive. Reviewed by Lindsay Zoladz [Pitchfork].

the Darkness, Hot Cakes. Reviewed by Andrew Leahey [Washington Times].

Owl City, the Midsummer Station. Reviewed by Allison Stewart [Washington Post] and by Andrew Leahey [Washington Times]. At the 9:30 Club on 9/10.

Redd Kross, Researching the Blues. Reviewed by Aaron Leitko [Pitchfork].

Spider Bags, Shake My Head. Reviewed by ChunkyGlasses.com.

Yeasayer, Fragrant World. Reviewed by David Malitz [Washington Post]. At the 9:30 Club on 11/14 and 11/15.



Articles


• Planning Guides: Washington Post Going Out Guide’s Nightlife Agenda. DC Music Download’s Weekday Hits and Upcoming Shows You Should Know.

• Interview: Valerie Paschall talks to Priests [DCist].

• Interview: Valerie Paschall talks to Meow vs. Meow [DCist].

• Interview: Gregory Ayers talks to Clarissa Villondo, co-founder of Indie Bands With a Mission [DC Music Download].

• Interview: Nancy Dunham talks to Mat Kearney [Washington Examiner]. Opening for Train tonight at Wolf Trap.

• DVD/Documentary review: Joe Warminsky on Sweet Rock: the Red Weasel Movement [Washington CityPaper]. It’s “a 35-minute documentary about a Salisbury, Md., band that was a small oasis of grunge-era good times on the Eastern Shore and whose members were familiar with D.C.’s late ’80s/early ’90s scene“.

• Republican Vice Presedential candidate Paul Ryan apparently loves Rage Against the Machine. That love is not returned [Washington Post].

• Are you tired of people saying that the local music scene sucks? Baltimore blogger Metallomusikum certainly is, and she wrote this handy list of things you and your band can do to make it better. (She wrote it back in January, but it’s still worth reading/following/taping to the fridge).

• Local band news: Periphery is dropping off the Summer Slaughter Tour due to a family emergency [Facebook].

• Chuck Brown Day: Ally Schweitzer tallied an hourly update on the event’s breakdown [Washington CityPaper] (PS: she also reports that refunds are available for those who had tickets).

Big Time Rush performed at a kids’ “state dinner” at the White House. Chris Richards was there [Washington Post].

• OK, we get it: making fun of Nickelback is like shooting fish in a barrel. Still, Maura Judkis critiques their new music video, “Trying Not To Love You” [Washington Post].

• More on Brightest Young Things‘ move to NYC: an article in the New York Times.

• The Washington CityPaper is curating a concert at the Smithsonian American Art Museum on 9/14. Kokayi, The Caribbean, and Alex (aka Alex Minoff) will be performing, and the event is free.

• Extra cash in your pocket? Check out the new Kickstarter from local power metal band A Sound of Thunder, to help fund their new album Time’s Arrow (and featuring an exclusive EP).

• Everyone’s been talking about Pussy Riot, and the Washington Post now has a blog post about the Russian punk rockers.

• Opera falls just outside the scope of what I cover here on ShowlistDC, but Anne Midgette wrote a few thoughtful pieces for the Washington Post recently, so I’ll round them up here: Taking Opera’s Pulse (a response to a recent cover article of Opera News, which sparked a conversation on NPR) and Opera: great personalities, bad actors.



Listening


• Here’s a roundup of Hometown Sounds DC’s local music videos of the day:
      – Screen Vinyl Image, “Night Trip” (8/20)
      – the Young Rapids, “Goods (Blue Light Sessions)” (8/17)

• Here’s a roundup of DCist’s music videos of the day:
      – Airiel, “Flashlight Tag” (8/20)
      – Wye Oak, “Spiral” (8/17)

• Live listening: Wye Oak, live from the 9:30 Club, 8/17/12 [NPR.org].

Rufus Wainwright stopped by NPR’s DC office for a Tiny Desk Concert.

• Listen to yU‘s latest 7″ release [Washington CityPaper].

• Listen to Substantial‘s “Check My Resume” [DC Music Live].

• Listen to Mac Demarco‘s “My Kind of Woman” [ChunkyGlasses.com].

• Podcasts: Hometown Sounds DC’s podcast for 8/19 and ChunkyGlasses.com’s Episode 13.



Live Reviews

Be’La Dona and Klymaxx at Fort Dupont Park, 8/18/12. Reviewed by Sarah Godfrey [Washington Post].

the Dirty Projectors and Wye Oak at the 9:30 Club, 8/17/12 & 8/18/12. Reviewed by Rohan Mahadevan [DCist] and by Aaron Leitko [Washington Post]. 9:30 Club posted the setlist from 8/17 [930club.tumblr.com].

Gold Motel at Jammin’ Java, 7/23/12. Reviewed by Stephen Bradley [Washington Times].

the Kennedys and Naked Blue at the Hamilton, 8/19/12. Reviewed by David Hintz [DC Rock Live].

Lorelei, Deathfix, and Sun Wolf at the Black Cat, 8/17/12. Reviewed by David Hintz [DC Rock Live] and photographed by Erica Bruce [Washington CityPaper].

Barry Manilow at Wolf Trap, 8/16/12 & 8/17/12. Reviewed by Mark Beachy [MD Theatre Guide], by Denise A Levien [the Rogers Revue], and by Reel Film News

Marina and the Diamonds and MS MR at the 9:30 Club, 8/14/12. Reviewed by We Love DC.

Raise the Roofbeams, the Beanstalk Library and Red Sammy at DC9, 8/16/12. Reviewed by David Hintz [DC Rock Live].

Christian Scott aka Christian aTunde Adjuah at the Bohemian Caverns, 8/16/12. Reviewed by Michael J West [Washington Post].



Giveaways


NEW The Vinyl District is giving away tickets to the Brian Jonestown Massacre at the 9:30 Club on 8/22 (contest ends today at noon).
• DC101 is giving away tickets to the Rockstar UPROAR festival with Shinedown, Godsmack, Staind, Papa Roach, and more. Show is at Jiffy Lube Live on 9/2 (no indication of when this giveaway ends).
NEW The Vinyl District is giving away two Slumberland LPs: Lorelei‘s Enterprising Sidewalks and Echo Lake‘s Wild Peace (contest ends Friday 8/24).
• DC101 is giving away tickets to Ben Harper‘s acoustic show at Wolf Trap on 9/4 (contest ends 8/26).
NEW Local band Cassandra Syndrome has a contest that includes T-Shirts and tickets to their concerts on 9/1 (with Cybergeist and Death Maschine at the Recher Theatre) and 9/14 (with Kamelot, A Sound of Thunder, and Fallen Martyr at Empire).
• DC101 is giving away front row tickets to DC101′s Kerfuffle with the Offspring, Sublime, Rome, Garbage, etc., at Jiffy Lube Live on 9/15 (contest ends 9/3).
• DC101 is giving away a pair of tickets to see Gotye at Merriweather Post Pavilion on 9/30 (no indication of when this contest ends).

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ShowlistDC Music Notes: Tuesday 05-01-12



Today’s New Releases (with local reviews)


B.o.B.: Strange Clouds – Reviewed by Sarah Godfrey [Washington Post]. At U of Maryland’s Byrd Stadium on 5/4.

Norah Jones: …Little Broken Hearts – Reviewed by Erin Williams [Washington Post] and by Andrew Leahey (scroll down) [Washington Times]. At Wolf Trap on 6/27.

Light Asylum: Light Asylum – Reviewed by Zach Kelly [Pitchfork]. At U Street Music Hall on Saturday 5/5.

Lower Dens: Nootropics – Reviewed by Joe Colly [Pitchfork].

Santigold: Master of My Make-Believe – Reviewed by Bill Friskics-Warren [Washington Post]. At the 9:30 Club on 6/18 and Rams Head Live! on 6/19.

Trouble Books: Concatenating Fields – Reviewed by Zach Kelly [Pitchfork].

Carrie Underwood: Blown Away – Reviewed by Chris Richards [Washington Post] and by Andrew Leahey [Washington Times].



Articles


• Planning guides: DCist’s Weekly Music Agenda. Washington Post Going Out Guide’s best events in DC this week and Nightlife Agenda.

• Chris Richards writes of Young Jeezy, President Obama, and the White House’s complicated relationship with hip-hop [Washington Post]. The zingers were zinging at Saturday night’s White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, but one seemed to fall a smidge flat: President Obama’s promise to start singing Young Jeezy songs in public if he wins a second term. “In my first term I sang Al Green,” the president said, referencing his off-the-cuff performance of Green’s “Let’s Stay Together” at the Apollo Theatre in January. “In my second term, I’m going with Young Jeezy.”

• Preview: Nancy Dunham on Marilyn Manson [Washington Examiner]. Tonight at the Fillmore Silver Spring.

• Not really a live review, since the writer wasn’t there: Jonathan Fischer on Ian MacKaye‘s surprise 50th birthday party concert at St Stephen’s on Saturday night [Washington CityPaper]. There’s more information over on WTOP.

• What else did you miss this weekend? A$AB Rocky brought out Fat Trel at the 9:30 Club [Washington CityPaper]. You can see Fat Trel headline later this month at Empire (the Springfield club formerly known as Jaxx).

• All Our Noise goes backstage with Perfume Genius at a recent show at IOTA.

• If you’re planning on using the IMP-sponsored Rock & Bus to get to shows at Merriweather Post Pavilion this summer, do your homework first: the service was a disaster at this weekend’s Sweetlife Festival [Washington CityPaper].

• Listen: you can download Black Cobain‘s Cheers [Washington CityPaper].

• Listen/watch: NPR recorded Kishi Bashi at the 9:30 Club on April 3rd.

• Bassist wanted: for local metal outfit Yesterday’s Saints. Check out the ad.



Live Reviews

Sweetlife Festival at Merriweather Post Pavilion reviewed by Tanya Pai [Washingtonian] and Francis Chung [DCist].

• Stephen Bradley on Kina Grannis at the 9:30 Club [Washington Times].

• Cecelia Porter on Washington Bach Consort at the National Presbyterian Church [Washington Post].

• Joan Reinthaler on Kioi Sinfonietta Tokio at the National Gallery of Art [Washington Post].



Contests


• The Vinyl District is giving away a copy of I Break HorsesHearts on vinyl. Winner must have a North American mailing address (contest ends today).
• ShowlistDC is giving away a pair of tickets to see Rush at Jiffy Lube Live on 9/9 (contest ends Thursday 5/3 at 5 PM).
• The Vinyl District is giving away a copy of Megan Reilly‘s The Wall on vinyl. Winner must have a North American mailing address (contest ends Thursday 5/3).
NEW The Vinyl District is giving away a copy of 4onthefloor‘s Lion & Lamb on vinyl. Winner must have a North American mailing address (contest ends Friday 5/4).
• 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).
• DC101 is giving away a pair of tickets to see 311 and Slightly Stoopid at Jiffy Lube Live on 7/28 (contest ends Sunday 7/22).
• DC101 is giving away a pair of tickets to see OAR at Merriweather Post Pavilion on 8/10 (contest ends Sunday 7/29).

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ShowlistDC Music Notes: Wednesday 02-22-12

Stuff to read:
• Chris Richards reports on BB King and Mick Jagger at the White House [Washington Post]. Those guys were there celebrating the blues in honor of Black History Month. Also, Obama sang a few lines of “Sweet Home Chicago”: this link has video of Obama singing, plus the setlist from the evening and a photo gallery.

“This music speaks to something universal,” the president said before introducing King. “No one goes through life without both joy and pain, triumph and sorrow. The blues gets all of that.”

• ALERT: DC GETS SNUBBED! Slowcore heros Codeine are doing a reunion tour this spring, but they won’t be playing anywhere close to the District. The reunion tour’s closest stops are Brooklyn (6/29 at the Bell House) or New York City (7/15 at Le Poisson Rouge). Seriously? New York gets two dates and DC/Balt doesn’t get any? Sigh. Check out the tour dates to plan your roadtrip.
• Ken Avis at CapitalBop has a lengthy retrospective on Jazz Samba by Stan Getz and Charlie Byrd.
• DCist tells you what to do: This week in hip-hop and the Weekly Music Agenda.
Preview: Women in Jazz Festival [Washington CityPaper].
Band Profile: Steve Cooper on Spirit Animal [the Vinyl District] – playing the Black Cat on Monday 2/27.
• Heavy Uber Alles brings you six heavy tunes every Tuesday. This week’s edition features New Orleans bands, in honor of Mardi Gras.
• Would you ever by teeny-tiny records at a teeny-tiny record store? [the Awl]
• DC writer Marc Masters reviews Jim Jarmusch and Jozef Van Wissem‘s Concerning the Entrance Into Eternity for Pitchfork.
• Live Reviews: We Love DC on the Dead Milkmen at the U Street Music Hall.

Audiovisual stuff:
• Loosely DC related: Download the new single from Mynabirds, the new project of ex-Georgie James‘ Laura Burhenn (a former DC resident). [Washington CityPaper]
• Tittsworth points us to a free track from Canadian duo Dooze Jackers.

Stuff to win:
• The Vinyl District is giving away a pair of tickets to Galactic at the 9:30 Club on 2/23 (contest ends Thursday 2/23 at noon)
• The Vinyl District is giving away a signed vinyl copy of All the Details by Doris (featuring Paul Adelstein of Private Practice). Winner must have a North American mailing address. (contest ends Tuesday 2/28)
• DC 50/WDCW is giving away tickets to Jim Jones with Nyemiah Supreme at U Street Music Hall on 3/5 (contest ends 3/1 at noon).


ShowlistDC Music Notes: Wednesday 02-15-12

Things to Read:
• When you think about musicians that embody black history, do you think about the Rolling Stones? We don’t either, but apparently Mick Jagger– along with BB King, Buddy Guy, Keb Mo, Gary Clarke Jr., Trombone Shorty, and the Yardbirds’ Jeff Beck (seriously, what is up with this lineup?!)– will be performing at the White House to celebrate Black History Month, according to the NY Times. “Directed by Booker T. Jones of Booker T and the MGs, next week’s event will be taped and then broadcast by PBS on Feb. 27. The president will deliver remarks at the event. The ‘In Performance at the White House’ series goes back to 1978.”
Fort Reno is now accepting demos for local bands interested in playing the venue this summer.
• We Love DC offers this Q & A with Justin Trawick about his solo work and the 9 Songwriter Series that he curates. The 9 is at the Hamilton tonight (2/15), and Trawick is at the Black Cat on February 24.
• Capital Bop has an interview with saxophonist Tim Berne, who’s playing with his new ensemble Snakeoil at Bohemian Caverns on Sunday night as part of Transparent Productions’ winter/spring season.
• DCist’s this week in hip-hop.
• Heavy Uber Alles brings you six heavy tunes every week. This week’s installment comes courtesy of Scott O’Dowd, guitarist of Massachusetts stoner rock bands Black Thai and Cortez.
NPR’s Tom Moon on Dr. Dog. The band will be at the 9:30 Club on March 16.
• Photos: Erica Bruce captures Sharon van Etten at the Black Cat [Washington CityPaper]. Last Sunday’s DC Record Fair at the Riot Act Comedy Theater [the Vinyl District].
• Live Reviews: Allison Grossman on the Grey Area at Strathmore [the Vinyl District].

Things to listen to and/or watch:
Wale on Conan, earlier this week [DCist].
• Video of Foul Swoops live at CD Cellar last week [All Our Noise].

Free stuff:
• The Vinyl District has tickets to Zola Jesus at U Street Music Hall on 2/16 (contest ends today at noon)
• Tittsworth has tickets to Moombahton Massive XII at U-Hall on 2/15 (contest ends today)
• The Rogers Revue has tickets to Disney On Ice at the Verizon Center on 2/18 (contest ends 2/17).