Capital Swamp: The DC Resource Thread

They have 3 Artisphere gigs coming up --Thursday through Saturday nights.

Unreleated:

http://www.washingtonian.com/blogs/capitalcomment/sports/did-the-nationals-dump-chuck-brown.php

When a band gets stamped with the label “DIY,” that usually means it’s got independently released music on Bandcamp and a string of house shows under its belt. In other words, DIY could describe a lot of bands that are just starting out.

“It seems like a useless word to me because if you’re doing a band, aren’t you already doing it yourself?” says D.C. punk vocalist Katie Alice Greer, 26. “It’s a word that has totally lost its meaning, except that it’s a marketing term. It’s marketable to people.”

http://bandwidth.wamu.org/even-after-its-10th-release-d-c-punk-label-sister-polygon-is-still-stoked/

versus

Live, it’s clear that the North Country is a product of D.C.’s DIY scene; the band mixes up styles and tempos on the fly, radiating the explosive enthusiasm that’s become a pillar of house shows at spots like Paperhaus and Bathtub Republic, the band’s home base.

guy is talking about a dc folk-rock band in this dc alt-weekly article

National Park Service is forcing the Smithsonian Folklife Fest to be drastically cut back, as has been previously discussed. While the NPS is installing expensive, special grass on the mall with underground irrigation, this year's Folklife Fest will just have one theme, Peru, and take place near the Museum of the American Indian. There will be only 1 stage, and performances will only take place in the evenings, with no daily shows (gotta protect that grass ).

so the gf has been in dc for a contract, staying at some woman's airbnb but the woman is kinda terrible and we're looking to have her relocate

anyone know of any good places to live for exactly 2 months?

Maybe Hoos does?

Oh, the Folklife Fest will have daily shows, they just will be on a small stage in an area near the Museum of the American Indian, but not on the main part of the mall.

anyone know of any good places to live for exactly 2 months?

― iatee, Tuesday, April 28, 2015 3:33 PM (2 days ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

i can ask around a few of the places i can think of but be forewarned its mostly hippie houses

After the Funk parade, DC's Eastern High and Brooklyn's Royal Knights marching bands and dancers engaged in a drumline/dancers/horn players battle of the bands on 12th st just above U St.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7sFXSlPspI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_kUZeZxahg8 check out the vieo at the 2 min 47 sec part till near the end. I also saw Junkyard Band earlier, and later soulman Lee Fields before a tiny crowd at the Howard

RIP Derek House Colquitt, bassist of the Junkyard Band who just died Sunday afternoon in a motorcycle accident

i can ask around a few of the places i can think of but be forewarned its mostly hippie houses

thx hoos..we actually ended up finding a place in foggy bottom

dc is cool I like dc

are you around much? we should kick it

An obit with quotes from family and friends

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/junkyard-band-loses-bassist-derek-colquitt-in-motorcycle-crash/2015/05/04/465564f0-f272-11e4-b2f3-af5479e6bbdd_story.html

yep I'll be around on random weekends for the next two months, I'll hit you up the next time

It's go-go drummers and percussionists sitting in week:

Tonight at little Bossa in Adams Morgan, veteran go-go great JuJu House will be playing with Sitali, a kind of middle-eastern folk group. Wonder if he will throw in any go-go rhythms?

On Sunday night at 8 at the Kennedy Center there's a Miles Davis & go-go tribute with NY-based, DC raised jazz pianist (and former gogo keyboardist with Northeast Groovers) Marc Cary adding go-go percussionist Go-Go Mickey and trap drummer Kenny Kwick Gross to his jazz lineup that will be doing Miles Davis songs that Ricky Wellman(who wasa member of Chuck Brown & Miles' bands) had played on.

don't quite agree with all this, just some of it. I think there's still plenty to do in town without attending the dj events he is dissing (some of which might even be more fun than some local musician events). Also, over the years some have dealt with high city rents, by gasp! living in cheaper burb locales-- go-go musicians, garage rockers, Fugazi members, rappers....

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/going-out-guide/wp/2015/05/08/where-the-wild-things-arent-olivia-neutron-john-crash-lands-in-washington/

excerpt:

How about music scenes? Can they be rewilded? A scene is a cultural ecosystem of sorts — and Washington’s could certainly use some help. Surging rents have exiled too many inventive artists to Baltimore, Brooklyn and beyond. And who’s taking their place? Hordes of young professionals who, speaking broadly, do not appear to be all that interesting or interested. And so our nightlife becomes cluttered with nostalgic ’90s dance parties, tongue-in-cheek tribute bands and uninspired DJs who practice their dark arts with the charisma of a shuffling iPod.

This makes Anna Nasty a wolf. After leaving Arizona in 2013 for a solo tour, the enigmatic 20-something finally landed in Washington last spring as the bassist of two separate punk groups: Neonates and Chain and the Gang. But performing solo as Olivia Neutron-John, Nasty makes music that’s especially fraught, frightening and fantastic.

Somehow, it almost felt like a party.

And in a way, it was. When an artist with this much poise, edge and imagination decides to take up residence in the busy-busy blandness of This Town, their arrival should be widely noted and wildly celebrated.

Now run for your life.

http://www.forwarddc.com/schedule.html

some interesting stuff as part of this;

and in June a PR Company is sponsoring a fest that is well curated by folks who do not work for that PR firm:

http://ourcityfilmfestival.com/eventstickets/4589113265

But I do get the complaint from a member of Priests that she has to spend more time working a dayjob to pay her (higher) rent, which cuts into practice and gigs time for the band

PeterBug Fest Saturday near Eastern market (E ST SE) with old-school soul and gospel

Hardway Connection is at 2:00 doing a tribute to Don Covay. The Velons at 5:30ish. Awards at 6pm

Baby Washington, Halo, Orioles and others also supposedly performing

Forward Fest going on this week has djs near the mall (Constitution gardens)Saturday too

http://bandwidth.wamu.org/after-10-years-d-c-punk-book-banned-in-d-c-is-coming-back-into-print/

sweet

http://bandwidth.wamu.org/the-story-of-kato-hammond-the-d-c-go-go-scenes-best-news-source/

First Jessica Hopper the other week, now tonight another music critic reading. Banning Eyre will be reading from his book on Zimbabwe's Thomas Mapfumo tonight at the Busboys and Poets in Brookland at 6:30. Eyre is also a guitarist, so he might play some too. Eyre works for afropop.org and previously wrote a book on Malian music.

14 people there. I enjoyed it. Powerpoint, book reading and guitar playing with an effects pedal.

I think there were even less at a book reading I went to years ago for author Robert Gordon's "I t Came from Memphis" about music from that town and recorded there. He showed awesome video footage of the Cramps with Alex Chilton and other cool stuff for like 8 people.

I wanted to go to that Jessica Hopper one but it was over by the time I finished work ;_;

Actually I missed it too.

My wife saw Phillip Glass' book reading. NPR's Bob Boilen hosted that one at Sidwell, which got lots of advance press. Bob made a home-made bagel for Glass, as he knew from the book that Glass grew up eating bagels every weekend in Baltimore. They talked about music too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5M02zuIbbI

Anthony Pirog's surf band the El reys are playing for free from noon to one at the MLK Library in DC

on Friday http://pqliving.com/capital-fringe-music-in-the-mlk-library-on-may-22-at-noon/

More on Kato Hammond, go-go history, and tmott-go-go

written by Alona Wartofsky who used to write about go-go for the Post and Washington City Paper years ago
http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/artsdesk/music/2015/05/21/kato-hammond-go-gos-de-facto-historian-remembers-his-roots-and-go-gos-too/

Going to the Black Cat (for the first time) to see Death (the awesome proto-punk band from Detroit of A Band Called Death documentary fame) because the band's Philly date was cancelled and my wife adores the band.

It's not all bad: Never been to the venue and Obnox is supporting who I love (and whose drummer Bim I know from when we lived in Columbus, Ohio).

The plan is to get into DC around 4ish tomorrow. Hit the record stores close to the venue (Smash, Crooked Beat, Red Onion and Som Recprds are all walking distance from what I can ascertain), have dinner, catch the show.

Questions:

1) Parking - Should I hit a lot if I plan on having my car in that area from 4 until the show ends? Will I be feeding meters? Is street parking generally shitty there?
2) Dinner - We could just eat at the Black Cat - is their food good? Or is there something around there that you locals would recommend? We're omnivores who will eat anything.
3) Anyone wanna come out? I always like meeting ILXors.

My email address works if anyone wants to reach out for a hang or to just say hi at the show.

1) you're best off just finding a lot so you don't have to worry about the car. The area around there doesn't have parking for that long of a period for non-residents.
2) I'd eat elsewhere.

Have fun!

i'm thinking about going to that! uhhh i can't be really useful with parking as i have kinda public transit blinders on, but the food at the black cat is pretty good imo, but its kinda overpriced the space can get a little cramped near a big show like this one is prob gonna be.

I'd add Joint Custody to your record store list -- closer to the Cat than Smash or Crooked Beat and has been really good this spring

Eating options on 14th are plentiful, but pretty picey and pretty meh. For cheap food, hard to go wrong with Amsterdam Falafel (across the street & block north of Black Cat) or Fast Gourmet (in a gas station on 14th St north of U). Of the more expensive options, I've enjoyed the Epcot Center France vibe at Le Diplomate, though Balthazar it isn't. In the opposite direction of all the record shops is Seki (really good Japanese) and Dukem on U for Ethiopian and you can sit outside. Standard BBQ a few doors down from Black Cat will be overrun with young professionals if the weather is nice but the BBQ is decent.

My brother who lives in Reston picked a parking lot which will cost me $20 and he suggested Ted's Bulletin which is right across from the venue. The wife loves breakfast food so hopefully it'll be good.

Yelpsters like Ted's "adult pop-tarts" and milkshakes, I've never been. Another food option-- Further south on 14th st is Baan Thai, 2nd floor place above Thaitanic at 1326 14th st NW.

I'm thinking about going to Black Cat too.

Find me if you go. Wearing a Bad Brains tee.

Nice. If I go I will probably wear an Orioles baseball cap.

I was there but missed seeing you. I liked Obnox better than Death ( the latter sometimes were too plodding or typical 70s rock with solos as opposed to proto-punk Stooges like. But they were so enthusiastic and some songs worked so i can't get too mean).

Sorry I missed you. I loved both bands although (and this is sacrilege, probably) I felt that Death's sound could have been better fleshed out with a second guitarist.

I posted some pix in the Obnox thread of them. Here's a couple of Death shots:

http://scontent-lga1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xta1/v/t1.0-9/11295671_10155639689945597_2579907220071649359_n.jpg?oh=13e34db3ae1c830f824c7711873f310b&oe=55F1EDE8
http://scontent-lga1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xat1/v/t1.0-9/11351271_10155640111455597_1332137665571073939_n.jpg?oh=57992702ae52073b3bfd573aee78bf52&oe=55F7ACE0

The VERY happy girl in this shot is my wife, who absolutely adores Death. Don't know whether it's the underdog story of the group but she absolutely fell in love with the band after seeing the documentary. Seeing her so happy during the show and also in this pic makes me very happy.

As for the rest of my journey to DC... An accident on 95 delayed me getting there by over an hour and a half so we went straight to Ted's, enjoyed the malted and the company of my two brothers I don't often see. Someone who works there complimented me on my Bad Brains shirt saying "nobody wears Bad Brains shirts around here." I was like, really, in DC nobody wears Bad Brains shirts?!?

No time for record store hopping thanks to the traffic so we immediately went to the show.

The Black Cat is a great venue, you guys are lucky to have it. I heard that Ian Mackaye was at the show but I didn't see him.

I loved how the show was both multicultural and also spanned the ages. It was neat to see so many people from different backgrounds, ethnicities and ages enjoy the bands that played. Made me wish I still lived in the area.

Sorry we missed each other and glad you had a good time. Yep, love the Death underdogs from the '70s story, but circa 2015 they do need something.

It was a busy night for music too. Saw some folks who watched Obnox and then bailed to see Aaron Leitko from Protect-U do a solo dj set on a bill with experimental types at Safari; there was Baltimore math-rock band Horse Lords somewhere else; Chris Stamey at Iota and a lot more

Interesting reading in W. Post--Chris Richards grumbling about overpriced, predictably booked Sweetlife fest and his dissapointment that Kendrick Lamar just did old songs and had Sweetlife guy onstage.

Metro section article re The Park at 14th getting temporarily closed because they tried to throw a troublemaking drunk with a head wound out the backdoor without calling 911 or anything

http://ourcityfilmfestival.com/

This is nicely curated--movies plus more--Sam the Man Burns and hand-dancers; Feedel Band and other Ethiopian immigrants; formerly incarcerated teen poets back by Kenny Kwick Gross from Chuck Brown's band ....All this coming weekend

A busy weekend-- that 70 guitar Saturday night benfit for music in DC schools thing is happening too; plus lots of great acts visiting town-

Excuse the typos.

JVs in Falls Church is such an odd little place. It wants to be a dive but its not quite one. Saw Anthony Pirog sitting in with the Dave Kitchen Band there. Plus special guests including an old drunk blind guy who did not sing the blues that well.

The DMV has a number of female oldies r'n'b djs...

The National Hand Dance Association Oldies Extravaganza Part 5! (A fundraiser)
Back by popular demand!
Saturday, June 6,
7:00 pm-12mid.
VFW Post 9619,
6527 Suitland Road, Morningside, MD.
Main Ball Room - 50s and 60s music (only)
ITS THE LADIES OF OLDIES DJs!

NHDA DJs - DJ Peaches, DJ Addie,, DJ Lady JC, DJ Bev with guest DJ Vi.

MC's Dr. Nick and Alwanda Higgins
Cash bar, cash menu, 50/50 raffle, trivia, giveaways and more. Attire:"Casual Chic".

Tickets:
$15.00 General Public
$20 at the door.

Contact:

NHDA 866 583-0780

Is anyone tired of all the dc music media attention for just this guy? Or maybe he deserves it. Ian S is gonna be on Kojo's WAMU radio show at noon today

http://bandwidth.wamu.org/d-c-rock-icon-ian-svenonius-to-appear-on-kojo-nnamdi-show/

bored as hell tbh