Hey Marseilles - Young Buffalo -- Iota - Mar 26 2013

Young Buffalo - This is a duo from Oxford, Mississippi, making them the second band I have seen from that city (and probably the state as well). They interchange between bass and guitar with whoever playing the guitar taking the lead vocals and the other providing harmony. They tour with a drummer and keyboardist which fills out the full rock sound. It is a good thing these two guys found each other as what could be a rather ordinary band is lifted considerably by the great harmonies their different voices come up with. They would still be successful power poppers spitting out bright, happy, sunny melodies, but the voices lift everything up out of the muck for listeners like me (I am the Joy Division to your Beach Boys). They had just enough pace and occasional ferocity in the power part of their pop to make this an interesting set beyond the great vocal work. And oh yes, there were the requisite hooks. Good stuff.

Hey Marseilles - This Seattle band is releasing only their second album of new material in five years, but are not sparing in the expense department to present it to the world. They are touring seven members strong and are in week four of their tour with three more to go. There were no signs of jet lag (or van lag I suppose) tonight as they presented some fresh high quality music balanced between pop, rock, and Americana. Basically if you like the Decemberists, you will likely enjoy a Hey Marseilles set. The vocals are very much like those of Colin Meloy and the arrangements are every bit as full, thought out, and interesting. There is a cellist, violinist, and trumpeter/clarinetist who provide the unique sounds that take this music to exciting places. There are drums and three more players who rotate guitars, basses, keyboards, and percussion. Even with all the instrumentation, the band arranges things so there is plenty of variance of space between thicker passages and airier moments. I wish there was a bit more variety in the vocals which were a bit too steady for over an hour's worth of material. But the music was always vibrant and the Klezmatics-like closing number was a real kick. It was crowded night at the Iota, who are drawing some significant crowds pretty much every time I am out there which means they are booking quite well-both with touring and local bands. The atmosphere was great tonight and this band must have had a great time and fully earned the response.

Quote of the Night: From Hey Marseilles... "Thank-you for treating Tuesday like Friday."

Lost Civilizations - Onward Chariots - Grogan Social Scene -- DC9 - Mar 24 2013

Grogan Social Scene - This is my first time catching this fine local band. Mr. Grogan leads things with guitar and lead vocals and is joined by bass, violin, drums and a conga percussionist. A couple guys help out on the vocal work as well. He tells me that they have evolved from a folkier outfit which now takes a more rock approach as the band has expanded. Both sounds are apparent as this music quickly transports me back to the very early punk days when there were many bands picking up on Velvet Underground records and taking off from there with primitive energy of their own. I am thinking Mirrors with maybe some Feelies in here as well. The instruments lock together and grind it out in a deep folk-rock vein with the violin offering nice colorful passages over and above. The vocal work is good and the lyrics sound interesting on first listen. There is just enough askew with even a touch of menace underneath, definitely in the manner of Lou Reed. This 39 minute set motored along in a fully engaged manner. I am liking this band and hope to watch for further growth, as there is plenty of room for this thoughtful approach to raw and intriguing music.

Onward Chariots - They mentioned that it was fun to be on stage in such a diverse climate between a twisted Americana band and an improv outfit. And it was fun for me as well, as this New York four-piece offered its take on urban pop. I would like to think I would have sensed the very urban qualities to their pop music even had I not known where they were from. This sunshine has to work its way through tall buildings with the music containing that urban edge that we city dwellers all develop. But it is still pop music and is fun with the extra levels of quirkiness that this band offers. The lead vocalist often switched from guitar to keyboards which allowed for different feelings in the many songs they delivered. They would rock it out at times or go into a Jonathan Richman brand of innocent oddness now and then. There was some straight up power pop as well, and although not as Nuggets oriented, I can see this band opening for the Fleshtones. Too bad that the bad weather on a Sunday night kept things lightly attended, but they did win over some fans based on the reaction during their 39 minute set. I am having fun going back to days of innocence.

Lost Civilizations - They were only a two-piece tonight with saxophones on one side of the stage and electric upright bass on the other. It was four members last time, so of course things are stripped down quite a bit. But that just gives the guys more room to fill with their inventive improvisations. That is the modus operandi for this collective--put good musicians up on stage and turn them loose into unknown improvisational directions. The bass work used some loops which created some nice rhythms and ambiance while the saxophone added color and melodic runs in a mannered pace. I finally got my wish to hear a band without distracting conversation around me, but unfortunately it was due to bands needing to drive home early (one to NYC) and other people scared off with the miserable weather. I appreciated this nearly private concert as this skilled duo allowed me to drift off into a break from conventional musical formats. This was a great way to finish off six nights in a row covering live music. Palate cleansing is something that becomes important to me (provided there is still plenty of taste as there was tonight). This show reminded me that I should integrate more jazz into my club outings. And as if by magic, they ended their set after 39 minutes, leaving me refreshed and cleansed. Do check out this band some time. It will do you good and is cheaper than a session at the spa.

Quote of the Night: Lyrics from the song "Mel Gibson" by Onward Chariots... "Please don't abuse your wife or blame the Jews for your life."

Caustic Casanova - Ominous Black - Murder Troy - Dutchguts -- The Pinch - Mar 23 2013

Dutchguts - New club for me and from what I hear, they may be trying to become a regular on the scene--more on that later. But now, a touring trio of hard thrash metallers take the stage with a scary set of Marshall stacks (or 'arshal' stacks for the bassist). They dwarf the portable PA, but the soundman does well by keeping things balanced. The bassist's vocals are infrequent guttural bursts, so that makes it a bit easier. The band does well with dynamic tempo shifts and plays strong and hard throughout their intense 26 minute set. A death metal roar is a good way to start out a Saturday night and for the assembled crowd, myself included, this set worked well. Personally, I could do without their joke name which wore off well before their set finished.

Murder Troy - Satori Trova has splintered into four bands or thereabouts (the math is fuzzy) and this is the first one I have caught up with. It features their guitarist Avi as well as their bass player who is temporary. They are joined with a drummer and lead guitarist who work with them in creating and intriguing set of instrumental prog-metal. These guys immediately create a lovely psychedelic landscape before they turn up the thunder. They remind of the great Swedish band, Spacious Mind, and there certainly are some Sunn O))) and Sleep elements in here as well. This was their first show ever and even if they never get any better, they are a powerful presence in the nu-metal scene. I particularly enjoyed the control on their pace as they shape their sound from ambient psychedelia to full out rock. The guitars sound great as the rhythm section lays out a thick backing. They finished with a nice twisted personal take on "Iron Man" which everyone here of course enjoyed. Normally I would like more vocals, but when you nail the instrumental part this well, like Mogwai, you can continue using the microphones only for stage patter. A band to watch? Obviously.

Caustic Casanova - This trio has long been a favorite of mine as they've graced many stages in the DC area for several years with creative prog-psyche nu-metal sounds. Their songwriting is more creative than most with intelligent lyrics and interesting vocal work. This is their second show with their new guitarist who now seamlessly fits in to their sound. His style is a little less startling, but his guitar sound has that heavy psyche vibe with great tonal control. I bet he doesn't know he was warming up with a riff of Roy Harper's "One Man Rock'n'Roll Band" (actually it was Jimmy Page playing that and this neither here nor there, but it was one of those lightning bolts in my brain) But back to the set, the sound worked out just well enough as the band's vocals all worked out well with Stefanie's backing vocals balanced perfectly as she manages to add a nice piercing presence in addition to her powerful drumming. There is a good crowd tonight that has discovered this band over the years. If you have not yet, the good news is that there is still time.

Ominous Black - Alas, I missed this band as I was having that horrible feeling of turning into a pumpkin, so that when the witching hour arrived, I headed home to rekindle the creative fires so that I may be fresh to mix metaphors another day.

New Club Review - The Pinch is an average looking bar in the Columbia Heights neighborhood near St. Stephens Church. The club is downstairs and it has the problem of loading equipment through the crowd like the Velvet Lounge or DC9. In fact, it reminds me a lot of the Velvet Lounge, were that club anything remotely like an actual lounge. There are comfy couches (probably aided to my sleepiness), stools with padding, a bar in the back, and room for more than 100, but not too much more depending on equipment loading space needed. The stage is like the Velvet Lounge, but not nearly as deep which could be a problem with larger bands. They will need a sound system. But, I will gladly return as this could become a welcome regular spot for both local shows and small to moderate touring bands.

Sinkane - Ra Ra Rasputin - Helado Negro -- Black Cat - Mar 22 2013

Helado Negro - From the deep south of the US with roots to South America comes this intriguing artist. He (Roberto Carlos Lange) performs all vocals and runs the electronics and beats and is joined by a live bass player. The first cut is a mesmerizing chant with no beats and a slow rumbling bass noise. He jolted the stunned sold-out audience with more expected electronica thereafter. Yet there were many unique influences perhaps from tropicalia through many electronic explorers since. I really enjoyed his vocal style as it remind me of HR covering David Bowie's style. I did hear some of the Eno/Bowie style in the music as well (or it could just be me listening to the new David Bowie album a lot this week). The bass went more into dub heavy basslines for the rest of the set and was a welcome presence. I normally prefer at least one more live instrument, but the creativity was well above that of most electronic acts, that this 34 minute set took hold of me as well as the crowd. When you are able to mix darkness with warmth, you are doing something very special.

Ra Ra Rasputin - This local dance/electronic outfit has a solid reputation around these parts. They do not quite fit into my world as I really do not grasp this style as well as a majority of club goers. I nearly walked out when the bass on the first cut made Jah Wobble sound like Tiny Tim. This was painful, but to there credit they asked people if the sound was ok or not and somehow they and the soundman figured it all out and they sounded loud and strong for the rest of the 40 minutes on stage. The vocals are really quite good and make things pleasant enough, except for a couple times where I was anticipating Billy Idol singing 'white wedding' in the next phrase. They do have a certain charm and even got this old curmudgeon to enjoy their set a little more tonight than I had expected after that start.

Sinkane - Although the electronics are on stage, the four band members all have guitars, drums, and basses as they create some seriously tripped out prog-psychee pop rock music. The first cut had a western motif embedded deeply in the thick stew of sound--twang never sounded so modern. It was driving through a ghost town in a convertible with your GPS guiding you to the urban dance club a few hours away. These are lush melodies with a gutsy foundation of rock music and intricate treatments of one guitar along with the vocoder vocals. They reminded me a lot of Os Mutantes, had they formed a band about ten years ago (not 47 years ago). This is fun and the band is starting to make a name for themselves and was pleased that this was their first sold-out show that they have had. A good and fitting way to end their full US tour before heading off to Europe next month. This is the kind of music for people that like krautrock, old progressive music, psyche moves, but want to delve deeper into the modern world or conversely, modern music fans that want to be pushed and challenged a bit while still grooving to the beat.

Quote of the Night: "We're Helado Negro and if you don't understand what it means, it is 'Black Ice Cream'".

Cherry Tree - Stereosleep - Green Light at the End -- Black Cat - Mar 21 2013

Green Light at the End - It has been a while since I have seen this band when they used to be known as the Resistance. They are adding songs to their repertoire, but the sound is familiar and welcoming as it had been previously. They have a drummer who assists with backing vocals, guitar, bass, and a lead vocalist who alternates between guitar and keyboards. All four of these guys can play and it is pretty much a straight-ahead rock approach. The drums are particularly powerful and the guitarist work well together as you can see them playing on different parts of the fretboard far more often than not. I prefer the twin guitar a little more than the keyboards, but I am glad they switch it around as the keyboard songs bring out some contrasting pop elements which round out the set. Ultimately they rock it out in a warm manner, not unlike many bands did in the Rites of Spring mold a few decades back. It is a bit more relaxed than that, but can resonate in that same deep way with their better songs. This local band is worth going out of your way for.

Stereosleep - It is another repeat viewing for me of a similiar local four-piece that features a twin guitar attack with the occasional keyboard switch. They also have a strong melodic sense in their heavy hitting rock attack that features some fine songwriting. I love the guitar work, but the bass was a little high in the mix tonight which muddied up a few songs more than I would have liked. Still, the rhythm section was driving hard and it was a fun and propulsive set. They had the ability to mix in some nice rhythm shifts in a few of the latter songs which had the positive effect of loosening things up a bit and the crowd responded favorably. But we all ultimately appreciated the heavy hard rocking approach just as well, I think. Ultimately their songcraft is of a quality that you do want to dig into what they were doing while you lean forward and throb to the heavy beats and dual guitar power.

Cherry Tree - I thought this local power trio looked like some mediocre band I saw in this club a couple years ago. It didn't take long before I realized this was a case of mistaken identity. These guys are jaw droppingly good with their approach to classic 1970s hard rock. They could lay down a beat like AC/DC while firing away with the speed and power of early Montrose or Budgie, while holding down a clean vocal line like Steamhammer. Many good bands can take hold of this style and do well enough with it, but you sound so fresh and innovative. It is far from simple and these guys some how come up with their own formula. They are young and likely have many modern influences which helps their shape. And as needed in every three-piece, they all are excellent players with the bass player deftly handling the lead vocal work. They even added a touch of boogie later in the set. This is a fun band that any rock fan from any era should check out. The crowd was definitely digging the sounds here which capped off a great night of straight-forward hard rocking music, not without creative personal touches. I particularly enjoyed the contrast of the eclectic bands I heard the previous night. Seeing so much music reminds me of what I learned long ago... I like both the simplest music as well as the most complex sound so long as the bands bring personality/creativity, enthusiasm, and some sort of skill to their songs. Simple as that...


Why I left Business for Good to Write about Music... Reason #9:  I was chatting with a friend about my portfolio, which is important now and then after you retire at age 48. He was curious as to what one company did and I had forgotten, as it had been about a year since I researched it. We were thoroughly enlightened when I read him the description that came up in their overview at Morningstar....

"MKS Instruments, Inc. is a provider of instruments, subsystems and process control solutions that measure, control, power, monitor and analyze critical parameters of advanced manufacturing processes to improve process performance and productivity."

Thao & the Get Down Stay Down - Sallie Ford & the Sound Outside -- Black Cat - Mar 20 2013

Sallie Ford & the Sound Outside - Will this Portland outfit continue the trend of showing off that city's ability to spawn some of the most creative bands in the country? Yes, it will. The band drew their line in the sand right off the bat with a surprisingly gutsy surf instrumental that was thick and quick and really rocked beyond the pale of the cliche. They pulled it back a bit, but retained a lovely reverb drenched lead guitar through much of the remaining set. Additionally they had drums, bass and Ms. Ford handling vocals and guitar. When the bassist switched to an upright, the sound reminded me even more of the Link Wray roots they have within their structure. They added blues twists and even though the roots are as old as rock music itself, they had some Gun Club in here along with other quirky modern pop moves. A Loretta Lynn cover was not at all a surprise late in the set as just about anything would work with this band. The sold out crowd tonight was definitely on their game as well as they picked up on the quality of this band they likely knew little about (as they are touring only their second album).  I will be back in line the next time this band comes to town.

Thao & the Get Down Stay Down - Former Falls Church musician Thao Nguyen returned home from her new base of San Francisco and received a very warm welcome from the sold out crowd tonight. She performs the lead vocals along with guitar and banjo and her band adds bass, drums, keyboards/vocals, and an occasional guitarist who sneaks his way into a few songs. Like earlier, the mood is quickly established where I had to look around to see if Thao's acoustic guitar was making those strong distorted chords in the first number. As I figured that all out, the backing vocalist went into operatic mode turning a strong indie rock song into what I do not know. Whether it was surprises like that, or dynamic intra-song shifts of Thao's vocal range or changes in tempo or sonic space, this band always kept me guessing. And as I have stated many times before that is a powerful skill that will work when the artist and band hold things together by keeping their personal approach and structure on a secure foundation. Thao and her bandmates did all of that as they clearly pulled in the young indie fans and just about anyone else that enjoys creative rock music. Her energy kept things on the precipice, while the keyboardist kept changing sounds and adding great vocals (the selectively used harpsichord sound scores extra credit points with me every time). Powerful hour long set led to the encores and everyone should have gone home happy tonight, seeing two creative bands with plenty offer now and beyond.

Quote of the Night: Thao... "I remember playing every Potbellys one summer. It was $20 an hour--pretty sweet... and a sandwich. ... No, no milkshake."

Pleasure Curses - Nightpanther - Lenorable -- DC9 - Mar19 2013

Lenorable - I have enjoyed this local duo in the past and tonight continues the trend. They have a consistent sound that resonates well with me and most all of the DC9 denizens tonight. It is a pretty simple formula. She sets the beats and occasional programmed bassline before handling the vocals, while he plays all the spacey guitar parts. If you are a fan of Siouxsie, the Cure, Bauhaus, and the many others in this style, you should easily grasp on to Lenorable's songs. I particularly like the icy vocal work that is reminiscent of Destroy All Monster's Niagara. They played some familiar songs and with some brand new material as well in their 38 minute set. Everything flowed nicely and I was transported to a relaxing state with just enough of a real world borderline.

Nightpanther - This Philadelphia area quintet is touring back from their trip to Austin and had this final stop before heading for home. Aside from a fairly short 27 minute set, there was no mailing it in for this band. They had full bass, drums and guitar (with some synthesizer). The two vocalists locked in frequently with one of them adding synth/keyboard parts as well. The sound was thick, yet with plenty of space for the vocals to carry these pop tunes to great altitude. This is not so much mainstream sound, as it is well composed pop music. The guitarist would occasionally cut loose with some hefty sounds to take things deeper. They are so catchy that they remind me of the punk era when I allowed bands like UB40 to invade all the faster and louder bands I was listening to. Charming sounds from this intriguing band that should be able to find a niche somewhere, perhaps a really big niche.

Pleasure Curses - This local duo has a vocalist who plays guitar on one song and a multi instrumentalist who mostly plays bass or synthesizer. I am instantly drawn to Morrisey comparisons partly based on the look of the singer, but mostly with the mannered quality of his vocal delivery. The music is catchy pop music with a bit of thrust in the beat, but the hooks subtly come out of the vocal lines. I am thinking that I would like just one more live instrument to bring a thickening contrast into the mix, but after a few songs, I find I am not missing it as much as I first thought. I think the credit belongs in their songcraft as they have written some lovely songs that they deliver with style and a touch of grace. This capped off a very pleasant evening of sounds and sent me home to some of the best sleep I have had in the last few weeks. Good music works its magic again.

Promo of the Night: Issue 50 of FOLKWORLD is now out with plenty of great articles on folk music in four languages. There are the usual album reviews featuring loads of artists you have never heard of with many you probably should hear of. There are some DC artists in there AND a special article I wrote listing my favorite 50 Psychedelic-Folk Albums of all-time. So indulge and spread your musical interests to all corners of the globe and beyond.

Lilt -- Jammin Java - Mar 16 2013

Lilt - This excellent local duo was able to squeeze in a matinee show at the Jammin Java in between the many sets they are performing this weekend, when their music is the soundtrack for so many people headed to the clubs. But this is the perfect way for me to celebrate St. Patrick's Day--Irish music with a small enthusiastic sober crowd (I'll happily cover the Pogues another time of the year). Lilt played its usual set of reels and jigs and even slipped in a song with vocals and a traditional sounding tune written in the last few years. Even staying tight within the genre, there was a lot of variety here. They again invited a dancer to join in on a few songs. Today, it was a woman from Footworks adding a modern Irish style which including the shocking visage of her arms moving. That subtle addition brought a jazzy flair to the dancing which helped in the usual manner with a percussive strike to the floor or top of a barrel (nice touch). The bouzouki and banjo of Keith Carr and the flute and tin whistle of Tina Eck worked the usual magic as they locked into these classic tunes. There is a circular flow to most classic folk songs and a lot of ancient music in general where the song seemingly ends at the beginning with an active and natural flowing walkabout in between. It was easy to drift off into this music today as their playing is of such great quality and feeling. It was this Irish music that many years ago set me digging in deeper to all forms of European folk music and psychedelic folk music of the 1960s and 1970s, so it is important that I can still take it in, especially when it is played as well as Lilt is capable of. They also added a pleasant stage presence with nice stories of the songs and what is going on for them. You owe it to yourself to take in traditional music at least once in a while, and I can recommend few better than Lilt.

Quote of the Day: Discussing their appearance on NPR the other day... "Kojo Nnamdi said the flute looked really cool... he didn't say it sounds really cool."

North of Canada - Brenda - Brandon Ables -- Velvet Lounge - Mar 14 2013

Brandon Ables - Former Presto Bando guitarist/vocalist is on stage with a new toy, a synthesizer guitar. He has some programmed drumbeats and still has has the intensity of his crazed vocal style to carry the way. Like Bob Mould, he is shooting for more electronics in his solo sound. Unlike Bob Mould (who is finally back to the norm), this actually works. Ables coaxes out unique sounds on virtually every song (I break now to apologize to myself for starting to write Ables is able to...). He pulls a few smiles out of me as always, and through his lyrics, shows off many more twists and turns beyond his singing mannerisms. I would not mind seeing him in a full band some day, but his solo set is far more than just a guy doing something with a lot of equipment. It is a successful vehicle to showcase some of the most unique songs and style in the DC area.

Brenda - This local quartet has a twin guitar line-up with three people adding to the vocals. The style is early David Byrne T-Heads with some occasional Antmusic. There is some pleasant jangle in the guitars with the occasional contrast of a heavily treated sound with a more normal guitar. They vary their style a bit from crazed to controlled in fairly subtle ways. I confess that I drifted more away from them the more they locked in to something catchy and predictable. But when they had a contrast to where the vocal lines were almost fighting the guitars, I felt they they really captured something interesting. This uneasy peace made for some exciting listening. I am not sure I would be in the majority in thinking this way, but this is hardly the first time for that confession. I will be curious as to what I think next time around.

North of Canada -  I have enjoyed this local quintet a few times over the past year. They make a nice blend of pop and hard rock. They are the type of band that likely emits catchy songs in the studio, but cranks it up several notches on stage. They vary it around a bit in volume and tempo, but the vocals generally carry out clean melodic lines that work quite well amidst the powerful rhythm section and rocking guitars. The sound was good tonight and although I applaud the Velvet Lounge for being more predictable and tighter on start times, I still wish things could get going a bit earlier so crowds of 60 don't fall to 15-20 with the headliner going on at 11:00pm on a weeknight. Other clubs have this issue as well and it is a fairly tight window as you can't start them too early. But North of Canada put on a good set for those that stayed. And we got our moneys worth as my clock says I received two hours and four minutes of excellent and fun music for eight bucks. You can't beat that at the more tightly run bigger clubs.

Quote of the Night: From a fan to North of Canada... "Stop asking silly questions." Yes, they probably could work on their stage patter some, although not everyone is Robyn Hitchcock.

Django Django -- 9:30 Club - Mar 9 2013

Django Django - I raced to the club from my previous engagement arriving just in time to see this hot little London-based band with ties to Edinburgh. There are four of them on guitar, bass, synthesizers, and drums and they all add a little extra percussion now and then as they keep a mighty powerhouse dance beat through their entire set. They have just a little bit of psychedelic flourish at times and personally I would have loved to hear more of this. But they compensated for that with consistently excellent hooks and harmonies. The vocals remind me of Ride atop a powerful 80s synth band. They have enough power just as Gary Numan and early Ultravox were able to pull me in to dancier forms of punk/new wave music back in the day. Maybe it is as if Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark were covering the Hives or Bow Wow Wow? Whatever their roots, they have plenty of energy and were able to get much of a fairly cautious sold out room dancing or at least swaying tonight. And kudos to them for touring coming over for their first tour of North America in March and avoiding Austin. I did not think that was done. Bravo.

Quote of the Night: After the groans of sadness announcing their last number... "Hey, we only have one album out, but we'll be back with some new songs soon". They did play a solid hour long set before encore, so no one felt cheated I would think. And my apologies to Night Moves for missing their set.

The Highballers - Human Country Jukebox - Avril Smith + Friends -- Iota - Mar 9 2013

Avril Smith + Friends - Ms. Smith is on acoustic guitar and vocals with her friends on vocals/songwriting, mandolin/vocals, stand-up bass/vocals, and lap styled dobro (played standing, but overhand). There are a lot of bluegrass touches with this instrumentation within its country folk-rock approach. The bass added a touch of light jazz and all the instrumentalists got to show off some nifty moves during the set. Smith's guitar work is excellent and she was playing some strong leads to where I was looking around the pillar to make sure an electric guitarist had not sneaked onto the stage. Their 40-minute set was solid, although I personally could have done without the covers. The crowd voted the Stevie Wonder song over the Led Zeppelin cut (not knowing which on) which pretty much only served to remind me how good Stevie Wonder was, rather than break any new ground. To be fair the band had no way of knowing how much I did not want to hear Randy Newman's "Dayton, Ohio - 1903" as I spent many years there and based on the awful day I was having today. For some reason, Newman did not show much irony in that song, even though many of us know it is there. Don't get me started. Anyway, hope to see them again some time with a set of original songs or songs of local songwriters.

Human Country Jukebox - This band lived up to their name with country and country rock music that went down like water. The first song summed it up as the lyrics told the crowd of all the great musicians that they were not going to live up to, including Waylon's guitar work. They chose some of the best to aspire to and being a closet Waylon fan, I was enjoying this more than I expected. The baritone vocal work was as pure as you would want in this genre and led the way to a fine set. The crowded club was getting into these songs and the band did a nice job of building the intensity throughout. I do not care for country music much, but if you lean western and have the 'outlaw' style that these guys do, you can win me over easily enough.

The Highballers - Alas I missed this due to my limited ability to say no and my miscalculation that the Iota show would start at 8pm rather than 9:13pm. I had to run off to the 9:30 Club to see the headline act at their late show which I only just caught as it was. Utterly stupid on my part as this band invited me to the show tonight--and being the good guys they are, were touting the fine opening acts as the reason to come. Well, I may have missed the set, but the club was full as there are plenty of sharp minded music lovers around time who know this band provides warm, energetic, gutsy fare that is perfect for a Saturday night. Here's an older review, but just go out and have some fun at a Highballers show near you. I don't see how they could fail to deliver a raucous, well played set of their hearty world-worn songs.

Quote of the Night: "..." was the 'apology' I got from some drunken idiot who bumped me on a crosswalk headed to the show. What was with Clarendon last night? Everyone was wearing so much green and was so drunk in the streets that I thought it was St. Patrick's day weekend and I had completely forgotten of a Jammin Java show I was supposed to do that day. I finally figured out that I was not screwed up on my weeks, which was a relief as just about everything else went wrong today. I will spare you all that rant, but there are some universal issues that may come out in time. ooooh, ominous vibes.

Single Mothers - Paws - Typefighter -- DC9 - Mar 7 2013

Typefighter - This is a local twin-guitar quartet that quickly jumps into the power pop realms. They have an awful lot of beard for this style, but fear not, the indie rock moves work their way in here, too. They have plenty of power, a touch of edge and are not going to blow you away with anything special. They do have some nifty guitar work underneath the vocals at time which is stands out. They heat up a stage well and have a good fun attitude, and you you do not need much more than that when you get rolling with a three-band bill.

Paws -  This trio hails from Glasgow and hopefully is not mourning the Celtic loss this week. Of course it could be worse, they could be Rangers fans. And if I digress a bit much here, I do recall Mogwai coming out in Celtic jackets at a show here some years ago. But the music is what we are here to see and the band did a fantastic job on their first trip overseas on the beginning leg to their pilgrimage to SXSW. If you are there, they are at the Fatcat Records showcase, which should be excellent. Tonight's thirty minute set was tight and energetic. Their professionalism allowed them to survive a broken bass string and their musical creativity had my brain working overtime. I heard elements of Nirvana, Husker Du, and other punk-to-pop/rock bands in their music. But as I listened more, it was more of how those 80s and 90s bands dug into their own roots as well. So basically, Paws are continuing a fine tradition of rocking hard with loads of tempo, while finding the pop hooks underneath great music. They even add a touch of shoegaze blasts in instrumental sections, so they pull from everywhere yet still manage a personal cohesive sound. This was a crafty and highly enjoyable set that went over well with the crowd of about 50 or so.

Single Mothers - This punk band is from London, Ontario and added even more diversity tonight, both geographic and sonic. They have a melodic early LA punk sound with a bit of New Model Army depth and plenty of bratty singalong vocals. The guitar work is interesting and keeps things stimulating. But if you want to just cut loose with their energetic playing and movement, that was easy enough to do as well. And it was an energized crowd tonight for all of the bands, which obviously helped make everything fun. They did not do quite enough to get me out in front of the stage like the old days, but their 26 minute set did rekindle some fond memories of the mature punk scene of the early 1980s.

Quote of the Night: An actual lol exchange (rare for me) from Typefighter with some energetic dancers up front...
"You guys are awesome!"
"We're gonna start a band just like you guys! You'll see."
"You guys are gonna suck."

Jacco Gardner - Janel & Anthony - Lost Civilizations -- 9th & Beats - Mar 5 2013

Lost Civilizations - I am finally attending a show at this recently opened venue, so I'll start first with a few words on 9th & Beats. It is nice sized room (between DC9 + Rock'n'Roll Hotel) with decent enough sound and a wide but not deep stage. There is seating, but mostly standing room. It is a part of a sports bar, but there is a quiet sushi bar hallway like space in between so, there is less bleedover noise than the Velvet Lounge or even Black Cat Backstage. This space makes the bar a little awkward as there is one guy to take orders and then run down to the main bar and kitchen to fill them. That is minor to me, but may affect some. Overall, as you will see, this looks like a successful addition to the club scene.

We begin with this local experimental collective that was five-strong tonight with an emphasis on bass as there was the usual electric paired up with a stand-up bass cello. There was a drummer, violin, and saxophone as well. The first 'song' went for 44 minutes and had a flowing trippy space-jazz feeling throughout. The sax started to dominate a bit, as it often does, but the player pulled it back enough which helped integrate it into a more complete sound (I believe I saw this guy play with Kohoutek at times in years past). The violin was a little too subdued as the percussion was strong and there were plenty of interesting bass moves of course. They did a quick second number which nicely finished off their 55 minute set. This was a good beginning, a sound easy to drift off with.

Janel & Anthony - This cello and electric guitar duo is well worth going out of your way for any time they play. They layer dreamy psychedelic loops for them to add tasty guitar runs and cello leads on top. Both of these players are masters at their instrument, but more importantly gel completely in presenting their sonic thoughts. This is beyond experimental music, since most experiments fail. This succeeded long ago and easily gravitates into any reasonably intelligent music fan's mind. When the cellist sings, it reminds me of the female vocal led songs on Book of AM with its dreamy prog-folk netherworld feeling. There is some krautrock in here, too, perhaps, but the sound is ultimately their own. And they know how to dramatically build to suspenseful points, just as you would want in the theater or at the movies. I am a serious fan of these two and hopefully you will become one as well, if you are not already.

Jacco Gardner - I see they have the term 'baroque pop' on their website, which was also one of the first things I had written in my notes (and in capital letters). I am glad it was not just that I was chatting with Lorelei's drummer tonight who I had seen the Zombies and the Left Banke with last year that led me to think of their ties to classic baroque pop. But this Netherlands quartet takes that genre to new found heights that few bands are capable of getting anywhere near these days. Jacco Gardner is the keyboardist/lead vocalist who leads the band and is supplemented with acoustic guitar, bass and drums. There is a farfisa quality to much of the sound, but all the instruments pull away and combine in a quirky rhythm that takes you back to the sixties when pop music dropped acid for the first time. They also come from the country of the Outsiders and there may even be a little Group 1850 in here, although they are not overly heavy at all. The vocals achieve an amazing delicate balance and few bands treat them as well as these guys do. It reminds me a bit of the Ferdinando-Howell recordings from back in the day. I clearly enjoy a lot of different bands, but when a band has the vocal abilities shown here, they move well ahead of the pack in my mind (and my playlist settings). This is their first time in the states and hopefully they can find the audience that is there for them, even though the audience may not know it yet. Great finish to a fine show.

Quote of the Night: eavesdropping... "That's right--it is socially equidistant between Baltimore and Washington DC."

Dan Sartain - Hand Grenade Job -- Black Cat - Mar 4 2013

Hand Grenade Job - A female duo starts things off on guitar and percussion, although an autoharp comes into play later. The real key here is the vocal work with two part harmonies aiming for psychedelic folk heights. Aside from the quality vocal work, there was scant instrumentation of interest. Eerie glockenspiel, nice guitar tone, but it was all a bit 'same-old' for me. The last cut was a little heavier, which was a welcome bit of contrast helpful to the set. Their was also an odd cover of the Misfits "Bullet", which is the second time I have heard a band cover this where no single member was born when it was written. Anyway, there is a nice germ of an idea here that could develop into something really cool. I am not feeling it now, but it is fair to give this some time.

Dan Sartain - This trio is here to kick up the volume. He calls it the Night Marchers on his website, although it sounds like the 'Pit Bees' through the PA. They don't waste a moment in between songs as there is not time for applause until they take a break about six songs in. The sound is clearly linked to classic punk with its raw riffs, power, and short melodic blasts. There is a great balance of Ramones and Dr. Feelgood--the chuggah chuggah rhythm and monster Wilko Johnson riffs of the latter band is something I wished I heard more of. There is also some Middle Class and Jay Reatard in here as well. These guys looked like they were waiting for Aunt Em to bring over some cookies, but they had full command of these songs. In between they were relaxed as can be and bizarrely, the guitarist stayed on stage after the set as some of the crowd could not tell if he was going to do an encore. He just chuckled and had pleasant conversations with them, including a bit about the movie, "The Last Detail". Bizarre, but not pretentious--I wasn't even sure this is Dan Sartain although a song on his website sounds right. Simple, crazy fun here tonight. I can certainly use a dose of that now and then.

Quote of the Night: As DS stayed on stage with some of the crowd asking for encore... "Yeah, keep it up. That's cool. I'm done, you can go home. Cool, yeah..."

Efterklang - Jherek Bischoff - Spirit Animal -- Rock'n'Roll Hotel - Feb 28 2013

Spirit Animal - Earlybirds were greeted by a headline quality band right at the start of this loaded bill tonight. This is the fourth time I have seen this hard touring energetic bunch and they blasted out another fine thirty minutes here tonight. They have their energy working tonight and their attack seems all the crisper with a great guitar crunch as they work through their brand of danceable funk rock. I say their brand, as they inject keyboard fills, psyche touches, and plenty of rock moves into the formula. The vocal lines are in your face, yet welcome and build things up while making a connection. Four times running and I am still digging into and just plain digging this music. They do it the right way and hopefully their hard touring will keeping adding to their already significant fan base.

Jherek Bischoff - At first I thought this was a band who chose a name to take a dig at a failed wrestling promoter from many years back, but silly me, this is a real person who has made an awful lot of music over the last fifteen years. He has been with Dead Science and even collaborated with David Byrne. Tonight, he sings some, while switching from bass to ukulele and percussion. Aside from his tuxedo, it is the backing band that is the real surprise. He has a formal string quartet behind him, who play a lot of excellent parts giving great color and flourish to his melodic patterns. the crowd is surprisingly quiet and into this tonight (he thanks them, even), but that is not terribly surprising as Efterklang will bring out a lot of the smarter music lovers and weed out the trend followers. I am glad to see this went over so well tonight, as it was a breath of creativity in the musty rock club air, which is needed once in a while--so different, yet perfectly fitting in between the two bands tonight.
Efterklang - It has always been difficult for me to find the pulse of this Danish band's music. Perhaps they are to chamber pop, what King Crimson is to progressive rock. Clearly this is catchy music, but they do so many interesting things in a quiet, controlled manner that they rise above anything simple and predictable. Yet, they have some of the more comforting sounds you will here. No matter how you try to break it down, they had it working tonight with Casper Clausen leading the way on vocals. He is assisted by some core members and others to augment the live sound which includes drums, bass, guitar, a couple of keyboard stations, and some lovely female backing vocals. There is mystery and drama in the music and I get this weird thought that maybe this is close to what Nick Cave may sound like if he came from the happiest country in the world (actually Denmark lost its spot to Norway recently and Australia is high on the list truth be told). The room is nearly full and embrace this music in full as the band plays nice clusters of songs from albums throughout their recent history. This is not a band I turn to often when I reach for a CD, but I do find it important to regularly take in their music and am quite happy I was able to do so tonight.

Quote of the Night; Jherek Bischoff (whose patter was fun all night) and I dedicate this to the late Sterling Hayden... "I spent a long time sailing around the world and shit."

The story continued as he was starving for three days and finally came upon a remote shore where the first guy he saw was watching 'Seinfeld'.

RECORD REVIEWS - February 2013

The RIVERBREAKS "WILD FRUIT"

This local band has been putting on some fine live shows over the years around here. I think they made a great call in recording their sophomore album with Chris Stamey at his studio in North Carolina. Stamey was always under the radar as a player, but was a superstar with other musicians and he knows sound. The Riverbreaks have a great Americana pop/rock base to work with and that shines through on this album. There is a constant flash of instrumental thrust, but more of a focus on the song with just enough guitar, violin, or keyboards to augment the vocals and rhythms. I believe good things are happening for this band as they have the ability to pull in some of the main stream fans of Josh Ritter or Alejandro Escovedo with this sort of sound. Their writing is not consistently at that level, but they are getting there.

Songs to try out first:

Wild Fruit - The opening number is perfectly balanced between pop, rock, and Americana with shining instrumental sound.

Corn Blue Night - I sense the Chris Stamey influence here as the power-pop elements are brought out with a nice quietly gnarly guitar sound underneath the catchy vocals.

Paper Moon - Delicate acoustic guitar makes way for a lovely slower ballad before electric guitar takes over. This balances epic with personal through a deft touch.


Or check out their new video...


WATERMELON "SLEEPOVER"

This local funk rock band has a fascinating approach to some genre combinations I do not hear often--at least the way they do it. They play funky beat oriented lounge jazz rock, and can take that concept into some bold extremes. There are frequent dual vocal parts for male and female. Imagine Ashford and Simpson working with the Contortions or Arto Lindsay going crazy Eddie Hazel style. This is daring gutsy music that dares to alienate different sides of the equation. I am not sure I would want to hear this every day, but it is a welcome kick in the pants much of the time. I hope they do not lose the jagged edges, for if they were to soften the blows, they would sound like too many other bands.  I definitely plan to catch them live again some time soon.

Songs to try out first:

YOWWYCH - You can decide pretty quickly in this opening cut of whether you will get into this. Once the guitarist started wailing away, I was hooked.

Fishes - Good mixture of funk and rock guitar with a strong vocal workout and vibrant pace.

Cooke - A powerful long number with a dramatic build, particularly with the vocals.


SPIRIT ANIMAL "THIS IS A TEST" ep

This hard touring band has put on many fine shows in DC over the years. They have tremendous energy which is not always easy to transfer to studio work. This five song ep (along with three remixes) mostly succeeds with the energy, as well as their dance oriented highly edged funk rock. "Lead!" is the one that reminds me of the No Wave meets hard UK post punk rock sound that gets you closer to convulsions than dance steps. "Age of Advice" is a nifty little pop song that pulls it back a bit yet, with a biting lyric and really great hooks, it is real surprise. The arrangements here are stunning and I hope to hear more of this on future albums. This is a nice little record and really impressed me in their song writing skills. I knew about their energy and sound, but the creative moves on a few of these songs can rival all the Animal Collectives out there.

** See Spirit Animal TONIGHT at the Rock'n'Roll Hotel opening for the wonderful Efterklang **

And they have a video for "Lead!", so try this out and see if you can avoid coming to the show...



SENSUAL HARASSMENT ep

If you are into electronica based pop music, this Brooklyn based band may just have an EP for you. The textures are rich and the vocal work is top notch and allows them to stand out in a crowded field. Personally, I like some songs a lot more than others, so it may be a matter of whether you want to dance or dig deeper into a song's structure. "Out There" was particularly memorable with a David Bowie vibe in their somewhere. "Rescue Me" also provided some fine vocal tradeoffs and a clever contrasting percussion and guitar bridge. The Giorgio Moroder/Kraftwerkian synth moves on "Disco Heart" were surprisingly good. This music is not in my area of expertise, but as more bands put as much quality into the playing and singing as they do the beats, I may get to know this genre better.


VANDAL X "GOD KNOWS"

Hard alt metal attack is on the menu for this twelve song LP. They say they are a Belgian two-man noise generating army, which succinctly previews this controlled sonic assault. This is the work of an organized 'army' and there is no anarchic running amok in this regiment. These two have been doing it a while (although this is a return after a four year layoff) and it is no surprise to see that they have worked a bit with Steve Albini as they are clearly sonic cousins. There is an urgency to the vocals, yet they do not lose clarity and keep the song moving forward without losing intensity. The guitar noise and percussion also exhibits just enough control, although untrained ears may sense a reckless abandon. I have been hearing lots of great noisy rock coming out of Belgium in the past year, and this welcome return continues the pattern. And if these guys can deliver the goods live, perhaps a return trip to the Benelux area is something I need to consider. Keep the music coming!



OCEAN VERSUS DAUGHTER "SLIGHTLY PARTED"

This Richmond band put on a great live set this past month and they provided this, their most recent album to me along with some newer songs they are working on. The album captures much of what I heard live with piano and voice carrying the thrust of the song, and rock instrumentation merging in demonstratively or pulling back for atmosphere as the song dictates. There are strings as well and the sound is positively mystical at times. They really remind me of Spriguns mostly due to the Mandy Morton like vocals, although there is a bit more power here beyond the mysticism. The real success here is in their determined creation of a musical world that pulls the listener in and keeps them deeply involved throughout each flowing song. This is a band worth exploring further. And their newer songs from a working copy CDR sound good, with a touch more variety even due to the inclusion of brass and modern rhythmic touches.

Songs to try out first:

Turpentine - Dreamy psyche-folk with the spacey guitar and vocals enveloping the rich piano. Great dramatic tension in this one, nearly a theater piece in its own way.

Lorelei - A Germanic tale they describe as a love song for mermaids and pirates. There is a sense of antiquity here, at least before they head off toward rocking coastlines.

Mint - There is a lovely flow to this song. It opened the set the other night and perhaps haunts me still.


STREET WINGS "STREET WINGS"

This is a Spanish/Czech Republic folk rock band that is starting to make a name for itself in continental Europe. They seem to embrace some of the fine progressive folk rock bands of the past. In particular, Spain had a lot of them like Granada and la Bullonera and many more from the Movieplay label. Yet there is more folk here in a few of the songs and they also are capable of blasting out some great rock moves as well. It is this diversity which makes this music successful. The instrumentals sometimes get a little predictable, but when they rev it up, pull it back, or add the lovely vocal work, they have something special.

Songs to try out first:

Riderland - Sadies styled folk rock with killer violin jam amidst the rock moves and heartfelt vocals.

Epic Tale - Nice spicy near jazz instrumental mix here, like Kebnekajsne from Sweden.

La Cima - The most searing rocker with power guitars and speedy strings all over the pummeling rhythm section.

Torres - Pree -- DC9 - Feb 25 2013

Pree - This local psyche-folk four-piece begins with two songs from their lead vocalist on acoustic guitar. She was a bit tentative at first and kind of messed the first song up, but it had an incredible amount of guitar work within. She can easily keep an audience enthralled for a whole set, but it was nice to see her move to electric while bringing on the guitar, bass, and drums portion of Pree. Now the spacier pop rock tones fly off in the many directions that this band likes to go. They don't keep their feet planted too long in one place, but it is a smooth ride on whatever journey they are on. There seems to be a bit more bounce in their step and maybe it is the energy from their new bass player. They have a bit of heaviness toward the end that revs up the people, but the sizable crowd was with them the whole way. They are off on some more touring and will hopefully be back for more high quality sets later this year.

Torres - This 'band' is actually Nashville singer/songwriter Mackenzie Scott who handles the vocals and guitar tonight, joined with  a guitarist, bassist/keyboardist, and drummer. After searching the web for information on them and avoiding the links to Fernando Torres (this band is in much better form), it seems that this artist is just starting to make a name for herself. And after seeing this hour long set, it will not take long before Torres becomes a familiar word on most music lovers' lips. Her vocal work is strong and vibrant with a real bluesy growl down low that can jump to ethereal highs instantly. She is not quite at Savage Rose's Anisette levels (not many are), but his voice has far more than you usually hear in the clubs. The guitars contrast nicely from grungey undertones to spacey realms while showing off intriguing patterns within. The songs even have intricate European prog moves somehow somewhere, even as they purport a simplicity. This is tricky material, but delivered straight, strong and with full confidence. There is some post-Radiohead moves and a full fledged shoegaze freakout at the end. Scott handles the encore solo and plays a long mesmerizing song that fittingly caps off this creative set. I almost said 'wildly creative', but there is a control and straight forward approach that is perplexing since so much is accomplished. Rather than keep scratching my head over this, I think I will go listen to some of their recorded music to try to keep this music with me a while longer.

Quote of the Night: Pree's bassist... "I'm shedding ravioli."

Trouble Funk - Scream - Shady Groove - Black Market Baby - Junkyard - Youth Brigade - Static Disruptors - Worlds Collide -- 9:30 Club - Feb 24th 2013

Tonight we have a show loaded with harDCore bands and Go-Go bands from days of old to celebrate the Corcoran Gallery's "Pump Me Up" exhibit featuring art of the famous DC music scenes. I have not seen the exhibit yet, but plan a visit prior to the April 7th close. Henry Rollins is here to host and introduce the bands tonight and there are a lot of bands here to fill in the eight plus hours the club is open today and tonight. That is a lot of time to spend on the concrete balcony, so I did not stay for all of it, but here is what I took in...

Worlds Collide - A more 'modern era' hardcore band gets things underway with their metal tinged strong and assertive songs. Dense, straight ahead and good solid opening set to greet the surprisingly large crowd here at 4pm.

Static Disruptors - Playin' the DC Groove is what this old Go-Go collective does here with their half-hour set. There some original members that go back to 1980 and some younger guys. Plenty of brass helps, but the sound is mostly percussive. The vocalist looked and sounded like he belonged in Nashville instead of fronting this collective.

Youth Brigade - Two shows in two months? What seemed impossible is now becoming routine. I enjoyed their last set quite a bit. It seemed a bit rougher tonight and I am thinking their has not been much rehearsal in between shows, which is understandable. The closer was again "Stepping Stone" with guests like John Stabb helping out. Not as much magic tonight and that may have been in part due to the pace being closer to the Monkees than SOA. Oddly enough, the 'other' Youth Brigade from the west coast was playing with the Cockney Rejects in Baltimore tonight. My head is spinning.

Junkyard - Another Go-Go collective here with a powerful sound. The multiple vocalists were quite good as their voices harmonized a bit and the dance steps got the crowd worked up for the first time tonight. The percussionists were fantastic and songs were coming out non-stop. This set was excellent, fresh and popping.

Black Market Baby - These guys retire more than Terry Funk. But I am happy to catch their set as I did not have a golden ticket to their Black Cat show in December. Their signature old style punk song structure played at hardcore pace was still working well tonight. I enjoyed it as did much of the crowd. Before their set Henry Rollins mention that he didn't like calling something a problem (at least the third time he talked about not doing something before doing it with different wording), but instead said that problems were solutions waiting to happen and everyone in the room is the solution, so go out there and be the solution. Apparently, that did not extend to the monitors which some of the band struggled with. The drummer threw a fit and his sticks a song before he called off the set prior to what was to be their closing number. Awkward and a fitting time for me to take this aching body home before I need a cane to get me there (I saw three canes tonight).

Quote of the Night: from Mr. Rollins while introducing Junkyard... "As we go deeper and deeper and further and further into the night... well, I don't like to play favorites, but I've waiting for this for a long time."

And people actually pay to hear him talk... a cover charge... three times what we can pay for a good Velvet Lounge show... I would pay to see Rollins sing in the Black Flag reunion. Unfortunately, after decades of no Black Flag, there are now two factions revisiting those classics. So Henry is possibly the wisest of all of them, steering clear of the mess.

Snowden - The Mean Season - Ocean Versus Daughter -- DC9 - Feb 22 2013

Ocean Versus Daughter - This Richmond outfit starts off with a solo piano/female voiced song. It is a steady rhythmic piano with occasional flourish along with deep ethereal, yet strong, vocals on top. I could listen to a whole set of this, but it was nice to see a bassist, drummer, and cellist fill out the sound from thereon. The music retained the quiet intensity and dramatic tension and easily pulled me in. The vocals remind me a lot of Spriguns' Mandy Morton with their icy sense of quiet which can firmly move into great depths (of the ocean here). There is intricacy in the music that reminds me of Sweden's Efterklang (coming to DC shortly). They had some feedback problems which marred the otherwise exquisite sound they achieved tonight in their 32 minute set. Hopefully they will be playing DC again some time soon, as they have the musical complexity and songwriting skill that will likely reward repeated listening.

The Mean Season - I really have enjoyed this local trio in past sets and they won me over again tonight. I was impressed with how they can concoct a steady textural landscape and then move into quick intricate patterns before moving back into more open shaped music. This creates a lot of intrigue over the course of a set and keeps things fresh and vibrant on the entire journey. Clearly, we have a well booked evening of intelligent, yet catchy music here tonight. The heavier rock numbers that sneak into their psyche-pop-prog-rock moves are a nice jolt to the system and expand things even further. With the amount of quality local bands around town, I have trouble remembering just how good some of them are. Now after three times with the Mean Season, that will not be a problem here.

Snowden - This band has been pretty much a solo vehicle for Jordan Jeffares, although he has recruited two excellent players in the band who hopefully will remain over future albums and tours. I immediately recognize Mikey Jones who plays with Adam Franklin and with Franklin's band Swervedriver, in America at least. Jones lends his precise powerful drumming in a more stripped down manner to give the foundation for Jeffares' thoughtful pop music. The third member adds some mildly anarchic bass playing which rocks the music out in strange and interesting ways. His keyboards are more traditional in a modern atmospheric sense. The music is a fine combination of lush and edgy, a combination that does not always marry this well. It may more often head into dream pop land, were it not for Jeffares' vocals which keep things firmly aground. The band has played DC quite a bit and based on the full room tonight, they may be ready to graduate to a larger club. Their 55 minute set capped off a strong night of music for fans looking for a bit of intelligence mixed into emotionally moving songs.

Deja vu? - Thankfully, no repeat of the Agnostic Front show... although, I am hearing there was a fatal shooting near the club when the show was getting out. I left quickly and did not see or hear anything, but apparently it had nothing to do with the club and the patrons. It was a crowded Friday night in the U Street corridor, and sadly these things do happen. Here is the initial Washington Post report.

Upcoming DC Events for your participation

While I always keep a calendar of recommended events in the right column of this page, I wanted to make special mention of some exciting events coming up shortly and later on this year. They feature music front and center, but also bring in art and theater. Although I spend an awful lot of time in clubs, I also support theater, art, book readings, and many other great cultural events around town that I will probably should sneak into DC ROCK LIVE more frequently. So first, check out the following art show with a rather big music tie-in...

DC FUNK-PUNK THROWBACK JAM - 9:30 Club, February 24th

If you missed the two Salad Days shows at the Black Cat, here is your chance to see some of the bands that played those nights. As a very cool bonus, the DC funk/go-go scene is also represented at this show. The irrepressible Henry Rollins will be your host in what will be a historic night where you are sure to get some great music. Note the 3:00pm start time as there is so much to take in that afternoon and evening. This is all to celebrate the opening of an exhibition at the Corcoran Gallery of Art entitled PUMP ME UP: DC subCULTURE of the 1980’s and the release of the film The Legend of Cool “Disco” Dan. The Corcoran's exhibit runs from February 23rd through April 7th and will definitely be worth a visit after this show.

ONE NIGHT WITH JANIS JOPLIN returns to the ARENA STAGE, June 21st through August 11th

This show was such a success, that it is back for an encore run which will give you another chance to see a fine theater piece that brings you the music of Janis Joplin and that of her inspirations. It was a tremendous show and I will have more when the show dates get closer. Perhaps, I will again interview a cast member as I did previously (see Mary Bridget Davies interview in my Interviews section on the right). Put this on you calendar and stay tuned.