Capital Swamp: The DC Resource Thread

awww man....
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Update, 12:42 p.m.: The Trust for the National Mall has gotten back to us and indeed confirmed that Landmark Fest won't happen this year. The reasoning? The opening of the Smithsonian Museum of African American History and Culture on Sept. 24. In an email to City Paper, Trust spokesperson MacKenzie Babb says that "as friends of our Smithsonian neighbors, we want to do everything possible to support—and not distract from—their highly anticipated opening weekend."

Babb adds that the festival will indeed return in 2017: "We remain committed to building on the success of the inaugural Landmark Music Festival and staging the cause-related festival next year, and we plan to grow it into an annual fundraising event that engages and entertains young adults while raising awareness of the park's history, significance and pressing restoration needs."

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/artsdesk/general/2016/02/25/wama-postpones-30th-annual-music-awards-show-due-to-computer-crash/

Shouldn't WAMA just call it quits?

One would think.

Movies with music themes that are part of the DC Jewish Film Fest

tonight Thursday 2-25- Movie “On The Banks Of The Tigris: The Hidden Story Of Iraqi Music” at 8:45pm at Bethesda Row (In search of the exiled Jewish Iraqi musicians) also on Sunday, February 28 at 7:00 p.m. at the DCJCC and Monday, February 29 at 8:30 p.m. at Landmark West End Cinema

Movie “Kli Zemer” at 6:30 pm at E St. NW (In 1943, a group of Polish villagers gathering in the woods to discover a listless and injured man. Recognizing him to be a Jewish musician, the party heatedly argue about what to do next)

Sun 2-28-
Movie doc in progress (almost finished) “The Mamboniks” at 12:30 pm at E St. Cinema as part of WDC Jewish Film Fest --In the 1950s, a group of mostly Jewish dancers from NYC fell in love with a sultry dance from Cuba called the mambo. Set in NYC, Miami Beach, the Catskills and Havana, The Mamaboniks features the infectious sounds of Tito Puente, Celia Cruz and Mongo Santamaria. 12:30 pm – E Street Cinema

Movie doc “The Record Man” at 2:30 at the AFI---Brooklyn-born Henry Stone exported the music of Miami to the world. From distributing records out of his ‘48 Packard to establishing the largest independent label of the 1970’s, he was a shrewd record executive . His chart-topping artists (soul legend Betty Wright, KC and the Sunshine Band, George McCrae) led to the original Miami Sound and the birth of Disco with the song, “Rock Your Baby.” Also on Monday, February 29 at 8:15 p.m. at the DCJCC and Wednesday, March 2 at 8:30 p.m. at Landmark Bethesda Row

Washington Post has more dirt on Landmark Festival-- Fest's profits only covered expenses; various folks have now left the Trust for the National Mall; Drake threw a fit and threatened to cancel unless they let him have a giant tall stage with pyrotechnics. NPS eventually gave in to Drake demands

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/articles/47934/the-legendary-orioles-at-mr-henrys-sunday-feb-28/

1950s era dc R'N'B/doo wop singers still around with special guest from that era

Would've liked to go to that.

guest vocalist Ronald “Posie” Miles of D.C.’s The Rainbows, sounded good (even at 80 something) on his group's regional hit from 1955 “Mary Lee." Show was a bit pricey with a cover and a minimum, but it's a small room. I think that's where Roberta Flack sang in the 70s, maybe even with Donnie Hathaway.

The bass player of the Legendary Orioles is the father of go-go drummer Kenny Kwick Gross (who has played with Chuck Brown and RE).

The Legendary Orioles' only surviving original member Diz Russell, can now, no longer stand for the whole show, so he sang lead on only a few songs, from a chair right up front near the stage.

"DC Music Summit"; possibly helpful for new acts:

https://www.facebook.com/events/460317270828968/

Saw a few tweets from some saying they liked the summit, but didn't hear too much about it.

In other news:

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/artsdesk/music/2016/03/11/wpfw-is-in-trouble-again-this-time-with-financial-woes/

Have not seen Brendan Canty's new group yet, but I did just see go-go group Team Familiar for the second time. Impressive old-school go-go beats with some sweet, lush vocals at times. Saw the first 2 sets but not the last, so I don't know if they are also doing Adele's "Hello." If you were wondering.

Dang, does anyone really call Benning Road the "pathway of death"? Is that why I can still (kinda) afford to live in NE?

http://bandwidth.wamu.org/pj-harveys-community-of-hope-misrepresents-d-c-nonprofit-says/

I read someone defend PJ, saying that those lyrics were her voicing the views of people she met. I guess there are people who still talk like that

I like that Brendan Canty's new band is named after a strain of weed... I always assumed Joe Lally was the stoner!

Sad sad news

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/articles/47998/bohemian-caverns-to-close-legendary-u-street-jazz-club/

The Building owner won't renew the lease of the folks running both the downstairs Caverns and Liv Nightclub

And the restaurant will be gone too.

I guess someone will want to turn it into a 3 level sushi burrito and $20 mixed drink restaurant

this news also made me remember that i miss hr-57. they told me when they were leaving the h st location that they were looking at a new spot near union market, but i've since heard nothing about that.

Was writing last night and missed Tinashe in Silver Spring, now tonight is the movie doc "They Will Have to Kill Us First" about Malian musicians at the AFI Silver

Music is the beating heart of Malian culture. But when Islamic hardliners took control of northern Mali in 2012, they enforced one of the harshest interpretations of Sharia law in history and banned all forms of music. Radio stations were destroyed, instruments were burned and Mali’s musicians faced torture, even death, and were forced into hiding or exile. But rather than lay down their instruments, the musicians are fighting back, standing up for their cultural heritage and identity. With a specially commissioned soundtrack from Mali’s most exciting artists, a score written by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ Nick Zinner, this documentary leaps headfirst into a tale of courage in the face of conflict. Official Selection, 2015 SXSW and London Film Festivals. DIR/SCR/PROD Johanna Schwartz; SCR Andy Morgan; PROD Sarah Mosses, Kat Amara Korba. UK, 2015, color, 105 min, DCP. In French, Songhay, English, Bambara and Tamasheq with English subtitles. NOT RATED

I think this might be shown again later at Filmfest in April (but I'm not sure)

had to sell my tinashe ticket. really didn't want to, but with metro down it just wasn't doable.

There's a concert in a few weeks featuring the music from the Nigerian "rock-drama" playing on Friday night: http://silver.afi.com/Browsing/Movies/Details/m-0100000561

always repping the library, but cheick hamala (mali) is playing a free lunchtime show next week:

https://www.loc.gov/concerts/folklife/diabate.html

x-post to Gubke-- who, when , where for Niger music from the Purple Rain homage?

Gubke--- come back and see above question.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/magazine/a-founding-member-of-rare-essence-talks-about-the-endless-beat/2016/03/15/3c1a8eda-db19-11e5-925f-1d10062cc82d_story.html

Q and A with RE's guitarist Andre Johnson in the W. Post magazine

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/artsdesk/music/2016/03/23/bohemian-caverns-inventory-is-up-for-auction/

The more I read about this the more I wonder why Brown didn't seek investors earlier, or grants from the DC government. Also, someone should have gotten it labeled a historic building. But I have also seen some of the negative criticism about he and his team's business skills. However, I also need to balance that against some of the ugly taunts against the music played at Liv, and the audience.

Anyway, if you want to buy a piece of the place for a souvenir, you can.

Sorry curmudgeon, I missed your posts.

I'm not sure of the details. Were you at the screening on Friday? That's when he said he'd be giving out tickets to whatever the live performance was. I think it was sometime in April but I can't find any information on it.

Found it. Maybe not much to do with the film, actually. But the event is Bombino at the Hamilton on March 30. http://live.thehamiltondc.com/event/1069299-bombino-washington/

Thanks. I was at the Thursday night Malian music doc screening (& saw the Malian Purple Rain one elsewhere) but got there in the middle of the guy talking Thursday night so I missed any mention of a gig.

Bombino is an Agadez, Niger resident where the movie was filmed. He's been here a number of times.

http://www.npr.org/sections/therecord/2016/03/24/470744767/the-state-of-d-c-hardcore

Guy who writes for City Paper and Bandwidth, just penned this piece for NPR's site on current DC hardcore bands. Old dude me has never heard most of them (but I get the '80s references)

http://filmfestdc.org/filmListSel.cfm?selSeries=Rhythms On and Off the Screen

Movies with musical themes in Filmfest DC from April 14th to April 24th

They're showing "Blue With a Bit of Red..." the Malian one, for 2 showings....A Cuban one, an Ethiopian one, and some others

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/artsdesk/music/2016/03/31/rare-essence-announce-new-album-its-first-in-over-a-decade/

http://dcist.com/2016/04/twisted_teenage_plot_alper_initiati.php

A new group show at the Alper Initiative for Washington Art at American University documents a period in D.C.'s cultural history when the visual art world met the underground music scene. Artist Robin Rose, who was a member of local bands Urban Verbs and Twisted Teenage Plot, explains their approach to instrumentation: "We’d just go over and turn it up."

The latter band lends its name to the show, Twisted Teenage Plot, which documents the work of the group and other Washington area bands of the late '70s and '80s that met at the intersection of punk and art.

RIP Mr. Seresa Nut Coleman, owner of DC nightclub, the Chateau, on Benning Road NE. Met this classy guy when the Mrs. and I went to a taping of "The Breeze Country Dance Show" there. Coleman bought the club in 1967. Its known for its Wednesday and Friday night hand-dancing nights. I believe he was 85.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/money-problems-and-no-name-acts-the-howard-theatre-is-struggling-again/2016/04/03/da0e2122-cb71-11e5-ae11-57b6aeab993f_story.html?hpid=hp_local-news_howardtheatre-1030am%3Ahomepage%2Fstory

Howard U should hire parking attendants and sell evening parking spots on its often vacant lots, plus build a parking garage. That will help the University with its financial issues, and ultimately help area clubs and restaurants financially by bringing in folks who don't want to deal with metro's issues. While not right next door to the Howard Theatre, its close enough (plus Howard Theatre needs to do something re its booking, marketing and food service issues). Locals can still walk, bike, uber, taxi, etc.

That Puff Pieces singer's voice is an acquired taste.

I dig it, but I was a huge Antelope fan. I think the album is more detached and robotic than the 7", which was more anxious. I like what they're doing, though. Reminds me of The Crainium or Metamatics a little; those late 90s nervous post-punk bands that D.C. hasn't had much of lately

Oh yeah. I remember the Metamatics

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/artsdesk/general/2016/04/07/chateau-nightclub-owner-seresa-nut-coleman-has-passed-away/#more-129652

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/bestofdc/artsandentertainment/2016/best-volunteer-public-radio-dj-during-a-blizzard

http://ratedrnb.com/2016/03/raheem-devaughns-lovelife-foundation-to-host-sunday-soul-pop-up-dinner/

Raheem DeVaughn is always about giving back to those in need. His nonprofit organization The LoveLife Foundation, along with Black Celebrity Giving, will host Sunday Soul Pop Up Dinner this Sunday, April 3 at 3 p.m in Washington, D.C. The unique pop up restaurant will provide a 5-course meal for the homeless.

So I looked at the Wammies page and the list of winners from Sunday night, and thought about who wasn't nominated (all bouncebeat bands, Ethiopian DCers Hailu Mergia and Feedel Band; Chain & the Gang & many more rockers; soul acts-Skip Mahoney, Hardway Connection, Eddie Jones & the Young Bucks) and well, some things just never change.

http://bandwidth.wamu.org/joes-record-paradise-launches-crowdfunding-campaign-to-save-itself/

Red tape issues before they can open in new digs

So they were closed on record store day, apparently

Record Store Day was also DC Emancipation Day. So a week and half before the event, the DC government website for it still had up last year's info on the parade and the free music fest on Freedom Plaza. They also never sent press releases about it to the Washington Post Weekend section or the Washington City Paper. I sometimes forward stuff on to the CP, but forgot to this time, so no crossover mention except for my concert calendar and me & Chip Py on Facebook. Anyway, I saw Sweet Honey in the Rock, Troublefunk, Black Alley, Bela Dona and Rare Essence (with James Funk) for free there and had a great time. RE's old-school set was especially good. Lots of call and response. It wasn't that crowded. Mostly over 30 (or 40) and black if you want demographics. Also, they had lots of streets blocked off nearby and tons of cops a block or so away sitting around drinking coffee and eating and probably getting OT. Saw 4 of 'em inside the hotel when we went in to use the bathrooms. We were there from around 3:30pm to 8

Later we went for tacos at that place on V St(?) within a walking distiance of the 930 Club. Finished our Saturday with the Feelies who played for nearly 3 hours and finished with an awesome version of Iggy & the Stooges "I Wanna Be Your Dog"

ha i was at that feelies show; they are indefatigable. went to the metal festival at dc brau beforehand, though.

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/artsdesk/general/2016/04/19/the-chateau-nightclub-has-closed-leaving-d-c-s-hand-dance-community-without-a-formal-home/