Capital Swamp: The DC Resource Thread

Also, glad to read Black Cat is going with earlier weekday start times. Being able to use the metro to leave there (or whatever mode of transportation) while still seeing a band's full set is a good thing, not just for us old folks and whomever has to get up early the next day, but for all.

Wonder if Rare Essence and the other DC bands and rappers on that Sx SW bill in Austin last night managed to impress the right people and fans alike? So much going on there

Neither Kid Congo nor Ian S won a Wammie btw. Shocking I know. Some bluegrass guy Frank Solivan won a bunch of awards. Plus I saw on Facebook some others noting how they were winning for like the 5th year in a row. Why do I even pay attention. I am a trainwreck spotter I guess who won't look away.

http://wtop.com/montgomery-county/2015/03/fire-guts-indian-restaurant-in-silver-spring/

Fire damaged the nearby Quarry House says the article. Oh no, I've seen rockabilly bands there.

http://dcist.com/2015/03/fort_reno_now_accepting_submissions.php

No cover songs...Too bad, was all ready with my reggaeton versions of "Stepping Stone" and "1, 2 X U"

"Quarry House Benefit Concert Tomorrow night at Jackie's Restaurant." This was posted late Friday night I think, so I guess "tomorrow" means today Saturday but it might mean Sunday. Rockabilly bands and more

There's an indiegogo benefit link page too. See the Quarry House FB page

The fire was in the building portion above the Quarry House (which is in the basement), so the Quarry House got smoke and water damage.

I haven't read anything about the last-minute benefit gig that took place Saturday night. Hope they raised some bucks. The employees are without work for a bit I guess (with some concerned that the old-school buildings like the one that burned are destined to be torn down and turned into condos which could make it difficult for Quarry House to stay open).

In my 20s I did not like 2amish events and I like 'em even less now. Saturday night/Sunday morning I went to Fire Station 1, a rented out restaurant/bar in Silver Spring for Ivory Coast danceclub/afropop act Serge Beynaud. Security presence at the gig included cops with bulletproof vests on and they were packin.' Btw, crowd was mostly 20-something African immigrant gals (dressed up in heels and such) and some African immigrant guys in afro-chic pastel jackets. Security looked bored most of the night. Until Serge came on at 2:15am most of the crowd was bored as well, looking at phones and only ocassionally dancing to the pre-gig dj sounds. Glad the wife and I stuck out for Serge though.

Posted this below elsewhere

Saw Serge Beynaud with Cameroon's P Brodaz doing a quick ten minute opening set. Well actually this morning,as he came on at 2:15 am with a dancer and DJ and performed till the cops shut the gig down at 3 am. He had some charisma and material that worked, although the show lost some energy mid-set when the folks who came onstage to dance were not as good as Beynaud's dancer, and the music during that section did not impress. The DJ beforehand was spinning a mixture of old and new Afrobeats, reggae dancehall and soca.

Ha, stuck it out.

Waiting until 2:15 for an act would certainly make me feel curmudgeonly

We foolishly got there at 11. I have heard some folks say, "oh the audience wants it to start that late." The looks of boredom and the lack of lots of alcohol sales (except for champagne to 3 VIP booths), and the number of people who were there between 11 and 12:30 am tells me otherwise.

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/artsdesk/general/2015/03/26/guitarist-joel-harrison-on-local-legends-d-c-roadhouse-sounds-and-anthony-pirog/

Saturday gig at JVs with jazz and art-rock guitarists Harrison and Pirog doing DC rooted honky-tonk roadhouse sounds could be good (if it doesn't get too barband self-indulgent)

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/youngandhungry/2015/03/25/as-chief-ikes-prepares-to-close-owner-al-jirikowic-bemoans-the-death-of-d-c-funkiness/

I don't agree with everything he says, but this is still fun to read

Ian Hilton also confirmed that he and his brother, Eric Hilton, have signed a letter of intent for The Wharf. They have not identified a concept, however, and talks are in the very early stages.

“We’d love to do something there. If it ends up looking like the master plan, it’s going to be a really cool project,” Ian Hilton said. “But until we at least have the ability to do a hard hat tour, who knows what will happen?”

http://www.bizjournals.com/washington/blog/top-shelf/2015/03/mike-isabella-stephen-starr-and-host-of-others-in.html?page=all

curmudgeon speaks the truth on the Chief Ike's piece.

I spent a weirdly large portion of my young adulthood there, looking at things embedded in the lucite of the bar and generally letting the 90s spool out behind me. Measured out in shots of Jim Beam and warbly acid house.

It was rather better suited for djs than for rock bands. For a typical three-band bill, half the room would be taken up by the amps and drums of the bands yet to play. And then they would play, at floor level, to an audience of their girlfriends and roomates and co-workers, totaling a healthy dozen people.

Lotsa comments posted on the Chief Ike's article. Some taking Al to task (at least 1 written by someone who worked there) and others grumbling about the rich kids in town now who just want to go to fancy restaurants.

The Joel Harrison piece covers an even older period of DC history (talking about Danny Gatton, Roy Buchanan, Evan Johns). For you tldr types:

Has anyone come up with an explanation for that whole era from Roy to Danny and Evan, these guitarists interested in such diverse types of American music?

I tried to put my fingers on it in my liner notes to Mother Stump. It took me a long time to try to figure this out, but Washington, especially back then, was both a Southern and a Northern town. You had bluegrass emanating up from the Blue Ridge Mountains with the Seldom Scene and the Country Gentlemen; you had the rocking country and rockabilly thing coming in from Southern Maryland; you had the African-American community with jazz and influences coming in from Baltimore and New York and Philly and the soul and funk sound; and under-girding all this was the blues. It was a town where all these different classes and cultures mixed even though it was a very segregated place, except the music wasn’t segregated. Free form radio was around back then so you could hear this music all the time. More than other places it was kind of a crossroads kind of town.

Harrison also used to go to Fort Reno way back when.

I always admired Gatton from a bit of a distance; I'm sure I have seen him but can't remember when or where. Charlie Byrd is a major fave too; last time I saw him may have been 1992 or so; he played "Blue Skies" and "Satin Doll" in the space in Reston that is now a skating rink. Somewhere around here I have his book of fingerstyle samba tunes.

My interest in Gatton was also from a distance. Now Evan Johns & the H Bombs rockabilly group I liked. Wiki bio for him sadly says he had alcohol-related health issues, and has not done anything musically since the late 90s.

Charlie Byrd I know from my Dad talking about him, and then me getting into Brazilian music. I heard him discussed (and the music he recorded in Col. Hts) at a recent DC music Salon at the Shaw library.

As for the new guys in the article--

I am intrigued by guitarist Anthony Pirog. Cool that he plays punk house shows, duo efforts with a cellist, experimental jazz things, roots rock with Dave Kitchen Band, and this Saturday's thing at JVs.

Fun time seeing Harrison, Pirog and others do rockabilly, blues, country and stuff Saturday at JVs. Their grizzled regulars, smelling of cigs and many budweisers, seemed to like it; as did the rest of us (not that there was a huge crowd-- 50 or so, which makes that small place seem full).

I forgot this guy was still cranking out reviews of DC gigs

http://dcrocklive.blogspot.com/

http://blog.leica-camera.com/photographers/interviews/chris-suspect-suspect-device-at-leica-gallery-dc/

punk photos exhibit

http://dcist.com/2015/04/an_interview_with_the_dc_dog.php

Thought this was an April Fools Day thing, but nope, this guy dresses up like a hot dog whenever the Nashville band Diarrhea Planet comes to town

the Mayor has approved a Funk Parade route that goes from the Howard Theatre to the Lincoln Theatre

May 2nd

http://bandwidth.wamu.org/bandwidths-favorite-d-c-songs-of-2015-so-far/

Oddisee and Kali Uchis tracks are nice

http://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/music/as-dc-slept-uk-electronic-music-veteran-clark-summoned-madness/2015/04/03/c4ef636c-da29-11e4-b3f2-607bd612aeac_story.html

Either this Clark guy is not that popular, or I guess DC electronic music fans don't want to dance Thursday night?Friday morning at 2 am

Despite a drowsy turnout, those that stayed up got a show worth losing sleep over.

I would have liked to go to that but can't do 2 am on a weekday.

had a couple hundred people for the show, certainly not a disappointing turnout for a niche artist on a weeknight

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/bestofdc/artsandentertainment/2015/best-public-access-hand-dance-tv-show

hand dancing on Wednesday night public access tv show taping at the Chateau on Benning Rd NE with Breeze, Dancing Tony and Geatch the Black French Chef

The show runs online at the dctv website the same time as it airs on the public access channel

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/bestofdc/poll/artsandentertainment/2015/best-local-original-band

Readers pick: Dan Wolff & the Muddy Crows

Readers say:
"Talented, engaging, and good looking to boot!"

Never heard of 'em

the City Paper best of reader picks are just social media lobbying contests at this point

I know that (there are ads I have seen saying vote for us in City Paper readers poll), just observing that I had never noticed this band's name in club listings and at the moment, can't be bothered to go see if they have a website that lists where they play or who they are.

Most people have probably never heard of my critic pick public access show item for the best of issue either.

http://gp1.wac.edgecastcdn.net/802892/production_public/Artist/1451020/image/1420240654_TheMuddyCrows-12.jpg

If their wardrobe is any indication it's probably better that we haven't heard them.

DC's Mumford & Sons it appears.

http://www.arlnow.com/2015/04/10/can-a-tech-startup-save-artisphere/

We'll have to wait and see

I'm out of touch. Barely recognized any of the names of bands who were at that Damaged City hardcore thang at St Stephens and elsewhere.

And the ones I do know, I keep waiting to see if they will eventually get more crossover attention , but it never seems to happen

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/artsdesk/music/2015/04/16/go-going-the-distance-how-go-go-is-finding-its-place-in-the-digital-age/

Natalie Hopkinson, go-go book author talking with Nico of go-go radio live. Some interesting stuff.

No mention of Go-go Radio Live's competitor for online attention--Take Me Out to the Go-go or of WKYS Mon to Thurs 9:30pm to 9:55 pm or so go-go programming

Finally saw Priests live tonight. Lived up to the hype.

http://dcist.com/2015/04/clara_barton_sessions.php

Description of this project sounds interesting

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/artsdesk/music/2015/04/17/michelle-blackwell-looks-back-on-15-years-as-go-gos-leading-lady/

one more thing from CP

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/youngandhungry/2015/04/20/record-your-own-music-and-eat-a-sandwich-at-songbyrd-record-cafe-now-open-in-adams-morgan/

Gonna see Little Margie from old-school dc soulful girlgroup the Jewels tonight from 6 to 9 pm at Westminster Church in SW DC. Then might see reunited '60s psych rock band Godz at Galaxy Hut later

i think an ilxor wrote this about a band my friend is in:http: noisey.vice.com/blog/beauty-pill-describes-things-as-they-are-interview-profile-2015