Capital Swamp: The DC Resource Thread

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/if-these-walls-could-talk-theyd-probably-scream/2016/08/01/86bbed62-5751-11e6-831d-0324760ca856_story.html

Above link is about the original Madam's Organ hippie house where punk and rockabilly bands played circa 79. Club elsewhere took the name.

In other news, does anyone think the planned 4,500 seat Wizards practices and Mystics games) basketball arena will get many concerts? DAR and Eaglebank are around that size and they don't have many gigs.

DAR has one performance scheduled for all of September.

What a racket these taxpayer-funded stadiums are.

http://bandwidth.wamu.org/mary-timony-joins-seth-meyers-late-night-band-temporarily/

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/arts/music/blog/20830357/longtime-wpfw-dj-rick-da-gator-bolling-has-died

southern soul, blues and jazz dj from the late 90s to 2014.

rip

http://bandwidth.wamu.org/15-recent-d-c-records-you-dont-want-to-miss/

You might want to miss some of them, but maybe not

Didn't go to Chris Burns' final Petworth Jam with 1432 R djs and more, but did go to Chuck Brown Day. Openers Plunky and Oneness were a fun funk coverband--P.Funk, Maze, Chuck Brown, etc .....than the main attraction who brought up various guests from the Brown family plus James Jas Funk and D. Floyd. Around 2500 folks there I'd say in Chuck Brown Park in NE. Demographically the crowd skewed largelyover 30 (with about 10 white people and a few or three Asian folks). Fun show with go-go call and response action. The band is so tight -- love em all--the horn section, drummer Kenny Kwick Gross, the percussionist, the keyboardists including Sweet Cherie who also sings & raps, and singer/guitarist Frank Scooby Sirius. Chuck's daughter KeKe was rapping (and she's now a Muslim and had her head covered). Last year the Mayor was there but I didn't see her this year. Someone from DC Parks & Rec. But weirdly (or not) former Mayor Gray wandered onstage right before the Chuck Brown Band and grabbed a mic and I guess was doing an intro-- but the sound on it was turned down.

and then

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/dc-rapper-swipey-shot-and-killed-in-prince-georges-county/2016/08/21/42b92de4-67d4-11e6-99bf-f0cf3a6449a6_story.html

18 years old, lots of Instagram followers for his rapping, and now he's gone. I never heard of him I must admit, as I don't keep up with all the young DC area rappers. I don't think the W. Post, City Paper or Bandwidth ever wrote about his music.

https://spinrilla.com/mixtapes/swipeyy-best-of-swipey

video on the web page includes lyrics with lots of nsfw expletives

bump.

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/arts/music/blog/20831013/catch-a-rising-rap-star

A whole bunch of DC area rappers gigged Sunday night in Md. Big Flock, Lightshow, Shabazz, TopDolla Sweizy, Too Easy Black, Lazy Da Kid, Tino Loud, Yung Cezz, and Bali Baby

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/summerstage-goldlink-backyard-band-dj-spicoli-tickets-25957138500

DC in Central Park NYC Sunday afternoon. Then Backyard are coming back to town for a gig later that night at Club Xo. They're doing a special bus trip up there and back for DC fans too.

Colombia, MD r'n'b singer Gallant has a sold out gig at U Hall tonight

https://societeanonymeinc.wordpress.com/2016/08/23/aint-no-punk-addendum/

That's a Tex Rubinowitz comment to Lux Interior of the Cramps..."You ain't no punk, you punk..."

Crossrhodes (Raheem DeVaughn and Wes felton and band) were on ABC's local Good Morning Washington program

Crossrhodes are at the Millennium Stage for free tomorrow

http://local.washingtoncitypaper.com/event/kennedy-center-millennium-stage/the-crossrhodes

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/arts/music/blog/20831724/art-of-noise-andras-fekete

last year's show at mlk was enjoyable; maybe only a half a dozen guitars at that one, though.

Missed 70 guitars Friday, and Trillelectro, Arcangel and Maren Morris gigs at various locations Saturday, but did go to Midnight Star free gig at Ft. Dupont Park Saturday night. Final of 3 summer shows there was fun-- "No Parking on the Dance Floor" was one of a number of keyboards and guitar 80s & 90s ish electro funk numbers they did. Crowd was much bigger than Fort Reno, but not as big as at Ft Dupont shows I've been to in the past. Around 1,000 to 2,000 max this time. The place used to be packed up the grassy lawn hill with crowds of 5,000 or more.

Joe's Record Paradise finally opening at new location Tuesday August 30th...

Not all of DC is becoming condos-- this hand-dancing joint on Benning Road NE is going to survive, after death of longtime owner back in April. New mgmt...

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/arts/music/blog/20832296/chateau-nightclub-reopens

The "Celebration of Life" for recently deceased local rapper Swipey (Douglas Myron Brooks) was today in DC. Haven't seen any updates re possible arrests for the killer of this 18 year old

RIP from cancer, keyboardist (and bass player and backing vocalist and songwriter and producer) Byron BJ Jackson who was in Rare Essence for years and more recently in Team Familiar. He also sang backup for and cowrote a song with Meshelle Ndgeocello, and backed Debarge and a gospel go-go group and others. He was 51.

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/arts/music/blog/20833396/funk-up-the-grass-on-chip-pys-locally-grown-music-series

Some funk players and some bluegrass ones playing together on a locally recorded Youtube show

http://www.afro.com/go-go-community-mourns-byron-bj-jackson/

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/arts/music/blog/20833846/gogo-musician-byron-bj-jackson-dies-at-52

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/arts-and-entertainment/wp/2016/09/09/live-nation-will-book-shows-at-mgm-national-harbors-3000-seat-theater/

So am curious how that DC taxpayer paid for Mystics games/Wizards practices arena in SE will get any concerts, when there's gonna be this one, along with DAR, Eaglebank, Echostage and that planned IMP one on SW

It won't. Echostage and DAR are going to have big problems when the IMP venue opens (the MGM venue will pull from DAR and Warner Theater as well). The Wiz/Mystics venue is clearly never going to attract more than a handful of concerts a year.

it'll be like lisner, essentially.

Probably even less events than 1800 seat Lisner.

So I was able to go to the new museum of African American History and Culture (as part of preview for Smithsonian volunteers) and saw some go-go related stuff up in the music room including Chuck Brown clothes and hat, an EU conga and some globe posters. Also, DC resident for awhile Bo Diddely, and the Bad Brains. Hmmm, I think Marvin Gaye too.

Dcist.com mentioned a bunch of old-school Chocolate City related items there (link over on the ILE Brad Pitt DC thread)

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/arts/music/blog/20834118/sockets-records-sean-peoples-is-back-with-a-new-label-atlantic-rhythms

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/arts/blog/20834681/to-do-this-weekend-the-dhol-foundation-freedom-sounds-festival-and-signals-midwest

Jacques "Saxman" Johnson Sr died. He played in the US Army band for years, plus blues, soul and jazz bands (including w Lil Margie of the Jewels) at Westminster Church and elsewhere. He was also the father of musicians Jacques Jr., and Meshell Ndgeocello.

I think he was 77.

Speaking of older DC musicians, Little Royal (aka James Brown's half-brother) is still in the hospital.

Oh no, Little Royal has passed away.

If you dig down into this link for the City Paper's "People" issue, you will find my q and a with the singer known as James Brown's half-brother

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/special-issues/people-issue/article/13044834/the-people-issue-2013

I saw him perform at Westminster Church SW on Mondays 2 or 3 times. So sad. A great guy.

Check Little Royal out in this 1972 video from a regional tv show called Soul Street

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEbvK076HZU

More sad news. 33 year-old Karlston "Ice" Ross, bassist with the Chuck Brown Band, the Jo-Go Project and others, has passed away from some health complications.

A tough week for DC musicians.

https://www.gofundme.com/teenaramathemusica

Fundraiser for Teenarama the musical, about the Teenarama tv dance show for Black dancers in DC that was on from 1963 to 1970. It started when Black dancers weren't allowed on the Milt Grant dc tv dance show

https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/how-a-small-dc-record-label-became-a-hotbed-of-modern-ethiopian-sounds/2016/10/06/7c3f0bcc-8667-11e6-92c2-14b64f3d453f_story.html

For you 1432 R Ethiopian-electronic dance music fans

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/arts/music/blog/20836249/rb-singer-little-royalknown-as-soul-brother-no-2has-died

And now another one. Robert Goldstein at 66 from cancer. He was the Urban Verbs guitarist from the late 70s on (Eno produced their demo) and worke at NPR as a music librarian and did more too

http://www.npr.org/2016/10/08/497108776/remembering-robert-goldstein-nprs-music-librarian-and-our-friend

I'll be in DC next week to catch the Preoccupations show (the band formerly known as Viet Cong, whose throbbing post-punk eponymous album was my favorite release last year) when they play the Rock & Roll Hotel on Sunday, 10/16.

A few questions:

1) We're planning dinner at The Star and Shamrock around 8 PM. I am Jewish on my mom's side and my last name is O'Neill so this place seems perfect... If anyone wants to come out, feel free!

2) I am hoping the show won't sell out saving me $10 in online ticket fees. If you think that is unwise, please let me know and I'll suck it up and buy them in advance.

3) Anyone going to the show?

Oh, that's who the Preoccupations are. I heard that album last year. Sorry, I dunno whether it will likely sell out. I do know that the club and its booking agent steve dc lambert sometimes post on their Instagram pages, "Low ticket alerts" ...

Not sure if I'm going. Maybe not...

I kinda liked the opener's (methyl ethel) record from last year.

def get some pie next door at dangerousy delicious pies.

http://wamu.org/news/16/10/10/pop_star_bruno_mars_expected_to_open_new_maryland_casino

opening in December

The 3,000-seat venue (which can swell to 4,000 without the chairs) will be booked by Live Nation, the multinational entertainment company that also owns ticket giant Ticketmaster.

...

MGM National Harbor is billing itself as a luxurious getaway, with restaurants helmed by celebrity chefs and a high-profile sculpture installation by musician Bob Dylan. Meanwhile, room reservations start in the $300s, and the cheapest tickets to see Bruno Mars cost $150 — not including transaction fees.

http://bandwidth.wamu.org/on-the-first-album-from-d-c-s-feedel-band-the-future-of-ethio-jazz-is-now/

My interview/review of 1st Feedel band album that's out now. They are modernizing Ethio-jazz on some tracks (w/ mixed results). They are also backing old-school Ethiopian pianist Girma Beyene Friday night. He used to live and play music in DC. After his wife died, he quit music for awhile (she was his musical inspiration he said) and just worked in DC area as a gas station attendant. Later he moved back to Addis, and eventually started playing music again.

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/arts/article/20837636/blagden-alleys-last-remaining-artist-is-being-priced-out

Bittersweet article on Bill Warrell, who founded DC Space, ran District Curators, and was the last artist left in Blagden Alley.

http://www.dclibrary.org/node/54368

Go-go and punk photo exhibit till Nov. 30 at MLK Library