Capital Swamp: The DC Resource Thread

You didn't miss much...

caught the witch coast tape release tonight

joy buttons really killed it too

heading to the st stephens halloween covers show tomorro

Had old friends in town and didn't make it to that Halloween covers gig. Looked fun, from the advance writeup.

yo so having been there for 2 gigs now, songbyrd is a p sweet space--guitarist was able to successfully crowdsurf while people a few feet back could smirk over their mixed drinks. pretty good sound, a couple of unfortunately placed foundation pillars, but overall i'm super into it and stoked it's a quick walk from mount pleasant.

Sounds good.

problems elsewhere in town--

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/dc-police-chief-orders-club-where-teen-was-killed-closed-for-96-hours/2015/10/23/dca3ba18-79ba-11e5-bc80-9091021aeb69_story.html

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/artsdesk/music/2015/10/28/paperhaus-the-venue-will-no-longer-host-concerts/

studio projects there instead; but also a noise complaint to police received

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/articles/47630/witch-coasts-burnt-out-by-3-pm-reviewed-slacker-pop/

Writer Ron Knox likes Witch Coast

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/artsdesk/music/2015/11/01/listen-pinky-killacorn-killacorn-3-5/

Marcus M likes new Pinky mixtape. She's on Instagram all the time. But I still haven't listened yet

http://bandwidth.wamu.org/almost-breaking-up-may-have-been-a-wonderful-thing-for-elikeh/

Elikeh, great DC afropop band, have a cd release show at the Rock n Roll Hotel tonight

DJ Harvey & Young Marco announced for U Hall.

Another mention of Fugazi, this time from a piece on the author of "City on Fire", an acclaimed 900 page novel about late 70s life in NYC:

He also formed a strong connection to the DIY punk scene around Washington DC, emblematised by his love of the hardcore band Fugazi. At weekends he would drive the five hours from North Carolina to meet up with friends he’d made through poetry and the exchange of zines and tapes; then they would drive another few hours north to “rat around New York”.

http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/oct/27/city-on-fire-author-garth-risk-hallberg-im-pure-outsider

http://wamu.org/programs/metro_connection/15/11/06/why_some_meridian_hill_park_drummers_say_the_beat_isnt_what_it_used_to_be

http://bandwidth.wamu.org/more-humans-one-of-d-c-s-best-bands-has-a-new-album-called-hot-cloud/

Like a poppier Jawbox who listen to Beauty Pill...

Not bad

I like the Chain & the Gang European tour photos on their Instagram.

Hardway Connection were great Friday at Lamont's in Pomonkey, MD. Their southern soul sound has yet to reach go-go fans, current r'n'b followers, young or old rock types. But those who know, know.

Peter Guralnick talking about that Sam Phillips book at the Library of Congress on Weds (free).

http://www.loc.gov/concerts/lecture-samphillips-peterguralnick-.html

That should be interesting.

I bet the Kelela gig at U Hall was good (even if I 'm more into Dawn Richard and Jazmine Sullivan)

Chris Richards of the Post seemed to think so, per twitter.

Jazmine was great at the Fillmore not long ago. Apparently she'll be back there again in December.

saw some nice video clips online.

Oh, you're right, Jazmine Sullivan is at the Fillmore Dec. 30th

More Landmark Fest related shade

http://www.texasmonthly.com/the-daily-post/c3-presents-hired-a-lobbyist-for-the-right-to-host-events-in-national-parks/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/digger/wp/2015/12/06/howard-theatre-owes-big-tax-bill-comes-under-review-by-attorney-general/

Hmmmm. The Blue Note better book a few more sold-out shows there

Bounce-beat Go-go awards are Tues. 12-29 at the Howard. I kept thinking some bouncebeat would get more melodic, especially since most of the groups have woman vocalists who sing tunefully (alongside guy talker/rappers who don't), but most of the Youtubes I've seen plus songs on the WKYS weeknight go-go radio time of 9:30 pm to 9:50 or so, are noisy and chaotic and thumping and clanging, with any tuneful vocals buried. If ya like avante and experimental music, you should give bouncebeat acts a listen

Saw Ex-Hex headline a crowded but not sold-out 930 last night. I hadn't seen them since a while back at the back room of the Black Cat. They have their tuneful retro rock sound down. Covered the Wipers and the Real Kids.

Hopefully somebody paid to see Ex Hex; everybody seemed to be on the guest list. Guitar sounded kinda buried in the mix compared to the Black Cat show, but possibly I'm just going deaf at this point.

I actually paid. There were lots of folks there of varying ages, most of whom likely paid. But the 3 bands all probably had guest lists, plus the club too. The sound seems to vary at 930 depending upon where you're standing--on the floor close to the stage in the middle sounds different than under the speakers on the left or right, and to the balcony level in the back. I last saw them at Black Cat backstage a long time ago, so can't compare to more recent Cat gig.

80-something r'n'b singer Little Royal will be doing his annual gig at Westminster Church in SW DC (near Arena Stage) tonight from 6 to 9 pm. 3 sets for $5, so even if you can't get there till 8 it's still worth it. While he was better pre-stroke, his James Brown style and his band still worked the last time I saw them. Decent food in the basement there too.

http://bandwidth.wamu.org/bandwidths-50-favorite-d-c-songs-of-2015/

Nice list but no Reesa Renee or Elikeh, makes me sad

I feel like Elikeh's energetic old-school African dance music could win over some more DC folks with the right bookings-- a punk bill; a U hall show; Fort Dupont and Fort Reno...But for now they've just got older émigrés; Peace Corps and jamband types; plus some hardcore African music nerds

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/artsdesk/music/2015/12/18/heres-the-african-rumba-and-highlife-cover-band-you-never-knew-you-needed/

More old-school DC African music

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/artsdesk/music/2015/12/23/sound-city-the-best-local-music-of-2015/

City Paper's freelance music crits weigh in on top 2015 local music releases

Reesa Renee and Akua Allrich made the CP list, plus lots of rock and some rap. But no Elikeh, alas.

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/artsdesk/music/2015/12/28/the-jazzies-d-c-s-best-jazz-in-2015/

http://www.dtlrradio.fm/dmvawards/

So anyone can vote for the Bounce Beat Awards? Ceremony/event tonight at the Howard Theatre

Backyard Band and BelaDona both do go-go covers of Adele's "Hello"...probably others do as well

Got together with old friends and missed the bounce beat awards. Saw pics on Instagram and twitter. The Howard Theatre looked very crowded.

i really like max levine ensemble, but i seem to be in the minority among my friends

― BIG HOOS aka the steendriver, Saturday, June 23, 2012

Nice enough pop-punk I guess

http://dcist.com/2015/12/dc_musicians_instagram_their_favori.php

DC musicians look back at their 2015

and below, writer Michael West on his fave jazz musicians in 2015

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/artsdesk/music/2015/12/28/the-jazzies-d-c-s-best-jazz-in-2015/

Oh yeah, posted the jazz thing already. Oh well

Nitpicking:

In Wash CP Bells Of article, writer asserts Dag Nasty were part of "Revolution Summer." Sorry, not true. That rev summer bands were the punky ones who went kinda arty a bit. Brian Baker of Dag wanted to go rock and pop

In Express article reprinted in W Post Weekend section writer suggests punk/go-go double bills eventually became routine at 930 Club. Eh, more occasional than routine, and they started at rented halls not the 930.

Went to opening of 930 35th anniversary thing last night. Lots of collage like stuff on walls, too many videos of recent 930 shows (Leon Bridges...) , old postcards and "Volume" newsletter/flyers and more. Enjoyed more catching up with folks than trying to look at stuff with so many people there. Mayor Bowser and a 12 person entourage made an appearance, plus lots of old musicians, writers, photographers, etc.

CD Cellar in Arlington is closing and merging with fellow CD Cellar store in Falls Church that is going to new nearby location. Farewell Arlington events Friday and Saturday with lots of rock and noise bands.

Friday night also offers old-school 1966 movie the Big T.N.T. Show at the 64 seat Library of Congress Pickford theatre if you want to see 35 mm footage of the Byrds, Ronettes, Ray Charles, Lovin Spoonful, Ike & Tina and more; instead of hunting for excerpts on youtube

Been reading the backlash comments to the 930 exhibit/fair thing online...About what was left out

I saw Chris Richards posted a link to that thread of the woman saying the 9:30 event was a total whitewash - did it seem that way to you?
I definitely saw a handful of rap shows at the F Street location in the early 90s. I never actually saw go-go there, but I know they certainly had shows.

It was very crowded when I went there and I moved through much of the exhibit space more quickly than I would have liked, so its hard for me to be definitive. But let's see-- there was a Public Enemy setlist, a Chuck Brown cardboard standup, a Big Tony bass, and uh downstairs way too much showing of Leon Bridges (retro black soul singer popular with mostly white npr types) footage at the club on repeat along with, was that Marilyn Manson? I think there might have been a brief video clip of r'n'b act Mint Condition in the exhibit. I saw Curtis Mayfield at the old club and some rap shows and reggae dub poet Mutabaruka. They had some go-go shows but not many. The late black dj Tom Terrell used to spin lots of black music there as did other djs.

But yeah, I don't recall seeing pics in the exhibit of early 80s black punks like guitarist Dave Byers, punk-funkers like the Psychotics, funk-rockers like Brian Tate of Brickhouse Buring (who also worked and dj'ed at the old club), mention of EU playing the club in 86 and Spike Lee seeing them there and choosing them to do Da Butt for his movie, 80s through the present reggae and international acts; dc rap poets, national r'n'b and funk acts (Jill Scott and Funkadelic and others).

Seth used to manage Tony Perkins and the Psychotics but they then had a falling out.

Roger Gastman (who did the Corcoran punk/ go-go/graffiti exhibit and the Cool Disco Dan movie) was the main editor for the book I think along with the 930 Club ownership.

I missed a James Brown with Chuck Brown poster; an Israel Vibrations one; a tribute to early 90s metal-funk act Lucy Brown; and apparently there are some photos of some other stars like Al Green in the collages, but just showing that Leon Bridges and that rock act video from recently, on repeat on the video cube on the main floor doesn't make much sense to me.

fact-checking error in 930 book ---Mark Noone of Slickee Boys mistakenly remembers Troublefunk/Minor Threat gig as being an IMP show at 930 Club, when it was a Dogbite & Blush show at the Lansburgh's Hall

Thanks for the description, btw. Skipped this, thinking it was likely to annoy me, but I'm still interested in hearing about it.

Backyard Band were performing on Fox 5 TV morning show this morning. I missed it, video online I think.

Those 2 closing night live music gigs at the Arlington CD Cellar looked good. Protect-U, Cigarette and many more

Am guessing Backyard Band will not be the surprise guest tonight at the NPR All Music Considered (but only Anglo pop acts performing )Sweet 16 celebration at the 930 Club.