Capital Swamp: The DC Resource Thread

The only electronic night i have ever been to is called Matter and it is held at the Blue Room on 18th street. I am not sure if it still exists, as i havent seen it listed for a while. The Djs played a lot of techno, including all the requisite hip german stuff, but whenever i went, there were 20 people there, and everything was being played at lounge volumes. it was a bit sad really, though the bar has a good beer selection.

SALT (listed first, because it's my night, dammit)
synthfunk, indiepop, dancehall, grime, electropunk, hip hop, industrial, hits
DJ's Sad and Lonely
1st Wednesday monthly
Cafe Saint-Ex

<>
indiedisco and beyond
DJ Will Eastman
generally 3rd Saturday monthly
the Black Cat

Confusion
disco, new wave, funk, postpunk, hiphop
DJ's Serpico, William Alberque, Cullen Stalin, Sad
generally 4th Saturday monthly
the Black Cat

Yellow Fever
reggae, groove, soul, hip-hop, dub
DJ's Yellow Fever
Tuesdays biweekly
Cafe Saint-Ex

Spilt Milk
rock, disco, funk, mod, punk, soul
Tuesdays biweekly
Red

Blowoff
indie house?
DJ's Bob Mould and Richard Morel
Saturdays
9:30 Club

Taking the Piss
jingle-jangle indie pop & psychedelic
occasional Fridays
Marx Cafe

We Fought the Big One
UK post punk, shoegaze, guitar pop, indie dance
DJ's Brandon Grover and Rick Taylor
1st Friday monthly
Marx Cafe

The Wag
60's garage soul & trash
DJ Mark Zimin
1st Saturday monthly
the Black Cat

The Mousetrap
brit pop, indie
DJ Mark Zimin
generally 2nd Saturday monthly
the Black Cat

Cold
coldwave, darkwave
2nd Sunday monthly
the Blue Room

Atmosphere
post punk, UK indie, dream pop
3rd Sunday monthly
the Blue Room

The Melting Pot
everything, 1964-1980
DJ Neville Chamberlain
Thursday biweekly
Cafe Saint-Ex

UH-HUH!
rock and roll
DJ Johnny
Sundays
Cafe Saint-Ex

Groove
soul, mod, garage
DJ Beat Neat-O
Thursdays biweekly
Cafe Saint-Ex

I'll work on a whole separate list of the club/hip hop/EDM events...

24 Hour Access: 24 Hour Psycho

February 28, 2004 at 5:30 p.m.
A first for the Hirshhorn---the Museum will open the Douglas Gordon exhibition for twenty-four consecutive hours. 24 Hour Psycho (1993), the artist's video installation that stretches the Hitchcock classic into a twenty-four-hour experience, is the inspiration for this all-night happening. Launch the leap year with this unique, drop-in event, which will also include music, gallery discussions, and a "Meet the Artist" interview with Douglas Gordon conducted by Hirshhorn Director of Art and Programs and Chief Curator Kerry Brougher on Sunday at 3 p.m. in the Ring Auditorium. "24 Hour Access: 24 Hour Psycho" is made possible through the generosity of Aaron and Barbara Levine.

http://hirshhorn.si.edu

The following music (presented by Signal 66) will be played:
5:30 ˆ 7:00pm DJ Sandwich Man
7:00 ˆ 8:00pm Band Chessie
8:00 ˆ 8:30pm DJ Debut
8:30 ˆ 9:15pm Band The Hipnotix
9:15 ˆ 9:45pm DJ Beat Neat-o of Groove
9:45 ˆ 10:30pm Band Rose
10:30 ˆ 11:00pm DJ Neville Chamberlain
11:00 ˆ 11:45pm Band The Phobes
11:45 ˆ 12:15am DJ Neville Chamberlain
12:15 ˆ 1:00am Band Sounds of Kaleidoscope
1:00 ˆ 1:30am DJ Happy Family
1:30 ˆ 2:15am Band Sons of Disobedience
2:15 ˆ 2:45am DJ Neville Chamberlain (tentative)
2:45 ˆ 3:30am Band Gully Jimson

Habib Koite from Mali at the National Geographic Grosvenor
Hall--Habib's got a nice live cd out--He trys to meld styles from
different parts of Mali, and while he's not a big fave of mine he's
definately not bad

Bobby Sanabria & Quarteto Ache at the K. Ctr. Eisenhower Theater--A
wonderful percussionist, bandleader, and sideman (not to mention a
college professor) who is very charismatic and entertaining with his band

Los Hombres Calientes from New Orleans at the Clarice Smith Center-An
interesting bunch from New Orleans who blend that city's jazz with
flavors from throughout the Caribbean. I believe WPFW's Jim Byers is
hosting and leading a chat with them as well.

Muzsikas at the Freer-Hungarian vocal combo
________________________________________________________________

Sat. 2-14

Sanchez and Richie Stephens at the Crossroads-Jamaican lovers rock for
Valentines Day
_________________________________________________
Sun. 2-15

Haj Youness, Casablanca, Moroccan oud player and the Voice of Wisdom
Orchestra at 2 p.m. at the Smithsonian S. Dillon Ripley Center
Lecture Hall

La India and Sonora Caruseles at the Washington Hilton, 1919
Connecticut Ave. NW salsa
__________________________________
Tues. 2-17

Peru Negro at the Kenn. Ctr- Excellent Afro-Peruvian veteran combo--if
you like Eva Aylon or Susanna Baca this outfit's blend of soaring
melodies, strumming, and funky drumming (on instruments including
wooden boxes and donkey jawbones) will be up your alley
__________________________________
Other cool stuff:2-11-Super Furry Animals
from Wales at 930;2-12( & 2-13) jazz singer Jane Monheit at the
Birchmere; 2-13-Atmosphere at 930;2-14 Black Dice at Ottobar;Jazz
singer Dee Dee Bridgewater at K. Ctr.;Carmaig De Forest at Roots Cafe;

To get on my DC African/Latin/World whatever events ocassional e-mail thing, contact me at ritmika@hotmail.com The above comes from that...

Which reminds me...any news regarding a new location for the Metro Cafe?

dc-improv-announce-owner@yahoogroups.com

salsanews@aol.com

the blow_up@hotmail.com

bw_zydeco@yahoo.com

Dizzee's supposedly coming back for a bigger tour in the summer, but I'm not sure if he'll hit DC or not. I don't know of anything regarding Dear or Mayer, but if they came I imagine it would be at 5ive, unless it was a one-off somewhere else.

What's odd it that it seems to be only the EDM scene that really tries to escape the city - the most successful go-go and indie artists are, if anything, too tied to DC.

Is it odd that the most interesting and boosterish electronic dance DJ in DC over the last year has been Bob Mould?

The DC go-go artists have seemingly given up on being national and international acts (go-go hasn't crossed over) although Chuck Brown gets flown to Japan periodically to play.

Dischord indie rockers are always playing worldwide but such gigs just never get much local press here. Q and Not U are also booked to play that big fest coming up in California over the summer(Coachatella or something). Black Eyes toured Europe awhile back.

Why did they locate it in Georgetown? You can only make so much money from selling prog to white hats from GW. Better to be on U st with a big deep house section. They never seemed to have their shit together anyways. They cheated me out of $40 once but totally inadvertantly. I had my revenge during their clearance sale I guess.

As for Q and not U, I tried to see their last show at the Black Cat and ended up waiting in line for an hour by myself. As I was waiting, the show sold out. That is all. They need to play here more often.

I always wanted to check out the Grits & Gravy dj night at Bar Nun... Years ago I saw DC rappers Opus Okuben playing with a live band at the now defunct Metro Cafe. Wow, they were great. Now they just mostly play Europe, sometimes with Ny jazz guy Steve Coleman. They were at Black Cat around New Years Eve but I missed them.

anyways, wednesday night P Brotzmann is playing with Hamid Drake and William Parker. Its at Twins on U st (btw 13th and 14th?) at 8pm.

DC 9 is in the original Asylum space, I'm not sure what it was between then and now. Half the music I've heard played there has been great indie/hip hop/disco, the other half has been too much midrange compressed guitar and singers that sound like they're in beer commercials. Which is a better hit rate than most places, but the DJs seriously can't mix or sequence their tracks.

List of EDM events is not so good. Seems like no place is doing well with regular nights and lineups are changing like crazy. And Cubik is filling the main room at Nation with the level of talent that would have played the front room at Buzz.

how long have you been in DC? what is the reason for the instability?

Is the below show which is at the Ottobar coming to DC?

Thursday March 25th
DEFINITIVE JUX PRESENTS:
Murs
The Perceptionists
(Feat. Mr. Lif, Akrobatik, DJ Fakts One)
RJD2, C Rayz Walz
Hangar 18, SA Smash and more
Doorsat 8pm/ Show at 9pm- ALL AGES

3 years! I want stuff NOW ;)

I've been complaining to friends for 2 or so years that I wish someone would book all of the Afropop and Latin acts that play for free in Central Park in NY each summer, in DC... So I'll have to form my own group to do this...

There's the once.twice festival coming up in Baltimore next month-

April 15th - 17th, 2004
Baltimore's 4th Annual
once.twice:festival of sound and video art feat.
AKUFEN . DIMBIMAN . AGF . CHRISTOPHER WILLITS .
DABRYE . SUE COSTABILE . MATTHEW DEAR .
GHISLAIN POIRIER. NAUTICAL ALMANAC.JIMMY EDGAR
MYLENA BERGERON . CAROLINE HAYEUR .
SCOTT PAGANO + more TBA

once.twice also runs the occasional Treatment night at Sonar, the last one in November featured Magda and Sammy Dee.

On a different note, any musicians (d.j.'s?) who wanna perform for free outdoors or maybe at Carter Barron or other locations during the June 18-21st 2nd annual Fete de la Musique DC should call 202-724-5614 or e-mail jose.dominguez@dc.gov . There will also be meetings at the DC Arts Commission, 410 8th St. NW , 5th Fl. on Mon. 3-15 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 and on Thurs. 3-18 from noon to 1.

I'm trying to encourage them to expand the musical horizons of this event...

Five is a great venue, nearly perfect, but the different promoters that do nights there only really book house, d+b, and reggae. There was the electroclash/breaks night there, too, but that's over and has turned into a retro night.

9:30 Club, as you mentioned, is a live music venue. They'll have the occasional DJ, but it always comes off as a bit out of place.

It costs a lot of money to run a club in DC due to the scarcity of suitable spaces. In a town with 8-foot ceilings in 95% of all buildings, there’s going to be a lot of competition for the remaining few with large open spaces. Permitting, safety codes, and accessibility standards are pretty tightly enforced, which means you have to sink a lot of money into a space before you can do anything with it. This goes for bars, dance clubs, live music clubs, and pretty much everything. And don't even get me started on ANC's and "voluntary agreements".

"After over 4 years in business, the owners of Now! Music and Fashion
have decided to close permanently, so we can move on and pursue
other opportunities. We've had a blast talking to you about music,
putting on instore performances, and participating in the local
community. But the best thing about running a record store has been
the opportunity to meet you. Many thanks to our loyal customers and
friends we've made along the way.

We will be having a going-out-of-business sale beginning this
weekend. All clothing and music (except consignments and bargain bin
stuff) will be on sale for 30% off the regular price."

So I don't think DC's gone utterly down the pan. Close, but not gone yet.

They're also stocking the Ellen Allien album and remixes, Coloma's Finery. I think I even saw that Damon Album demo double 10" there, too!

Melody on Conn. Ave. is very underrated - I always thought they were better than DCCD for keeping up with current releases and pointing customers in the right direction. Good international and classical sections, too.

Frederick Douglass Bridge shut down due to protest activity

Was helping elderly Mom out in burbs most of the weekend so didn’t make it by the SC or to the Folklife Fest. I know some who did. I Doomscrolled and later watched some of the Puerto Rican plena Saturday night event on the mall on YouTube later. Most of the evening programs are there.

Mark Cisneros is out on tour in Europe with the Bellrays. Playing bass I think. He's a multi-instrumentalist.

His significant other, Baby Alcatraz is doing her Friday Save Your Soul lst Friday of the month soul vinyl dj thing at Lithuanian Hall in Baltimore . Some 1st Friday I would like to try that. Although I usually prefer to just see old-school r'n'b musicians themselves rather than go to clubs and hear the records.

if you're looking for hyattsville music you should check for events at "the spot." jerry busher and some other bands played there last friday

Thanks

Fort reno shows now posted.

Also there’s an MLK library punk archive show Wednesday July 13 w/ Cinema Hearts and Continuals

x-post - are bands at the Spot in Hyattsville only announced on the South Hyattsville Co-op Facebook page ?

saw Busher's band POA in Mt Pleasant once. Dub punk with bassist Dug Birdzell from Beefeater and vocalist Shawn Brown

No idea. I only hear by word of mouth but the hyattsville wire Twitter should cover it

thanks

Oh yeah, Hyattsville Wire is good for some coverage of rock and blues events in that area, but not so good for Latin, African, and African-American

Curious about Tunnel, vocaist Natasha Janfaza (from Taciturn) band with Brendan Canty on drums, former Flasher bassist D Saperstein, and and dc bands producer musician Owen Wuerker. Album is out on Friday. They played The Crown in Baltimore last night and are Comet on Friday.

https://washingtoncitypaper.com/article/564189/moechella-organizers-applied-for-a-trademark-coachellas-lawyers-want-to-block-it/

plus Moe World Order show at Fillmore tonight cancelled

Fort Reno concerts start tonight. Also Janel Leppin is at Rhizome with her Volcanic Ash , avante-jazzy-rock-folky group, and David Cole is leading a band at Westminster church blues Mondays 6 to 9

Fort Dupont's 50th year starts Saturday with a big go-go bill-Be'la Dona , Sirius Company, Soul Searchers , DJ Rico @ 7 @ Fort Dupont Park

While the days of Fort Dupont having a budget to book national old school soul and jazz acts seems to be gone, at least they're booking some good locals. August acts not yet announced

Fort Dupont go-go triple bill was alright -- good not great. Tonight my wife and I went to the rain-cursed Fort Reno. Spring Silver played and Weird Babies did most of their set and then the rain came. So no Bad Moves whom I want to see.

Seeing on Facebook that I am not the only one annoyed at how the Musicianship have now handled the Funk Parade since being given it by Listen Local DC. No more parade and their fest on Saturday had 1 go-go band , and one Annapolis brass band, but no DC brass bands - no Crush Funk, no Dupont Brass, no Experience Brass Band . Just a bunch of obscure local rap and r'n'b musicians

Went to the final Fort Reno of the summer. The Owners had an ok casual punk sound . Vocals sometimes worked and not other times.

Ted Leo did a melodramatic Blondie cover - Union City Blues plus Ramones "Bonzo goes to Bitburg"

x-post- the guy who booked the obscure local r'n'b and rap musicians is defending Funk Parade and Musicianship.

Momentarily forgot the name of other band at Fort Reno that had a more shoegaze dreampop sound.

A little while back saw Spring Silver at Fort Reno and liked them live more than I did the album.

Saturday August 20 is Chuck Brown Day at Chuck Brown Park w/ Rare Essence, Doug e Fresh, Chuck Brown Band, Uncalled 4 Band and more. Also August 20 at rfk parking lot is world reggae day with Beres Hammond, Beenie Man, Tiwa Savage and more.

local sounds

https://aramsinnreich.wixsite.com/outofourshells

https://districtfray.com/articles/making-sound-waves-august-2022-dc/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ms8hHKEv4WI

Cinema Hearts - "Your Ideal" produced by Bartees Strange & he added guitar. Lyrics by Caroline Weinroth
Music by Caroline Weinroth and Erich Weinroth

Hey curmudgeon, just to follow up - I saw Don Z. on Tuesday (he came to my open mic at Ballston Local) and I asked him about the big console. I think he said it's at Atomic in Beltsville. But he's happily recording at home. We even got to jam together a little. We played "Overkill."

Oh nice.

Friday August 26

DC Black Broadway presents: The Stage Play Grease with a Side of Mumbo Sauce @ Bethesda Blues (through the 28th) (go-go musicians acting in this adaptation)

Moe World Order w/ TCB, TOB, Reaction & Yaddiya & guests @ Howard Theatre

* A Tribute to Jazz in DC, a prelude to the DC Jazz Festival , w/ DC jazz vocalist Ayo & the Bohemian Caverns Orchestra @ 7:30pm. @ All Souls Unitarian Church honoring DC legends such as Shirley Horn, Blanche Calloway, Ruth Brown, Charlie Byrd, and Duke Ellington. Orchestra arrangements created by Elijah Jamal Balbed, Free but registration required @ a tribute to jazz in dc . com

https://washingtoncitypaper.com/article/572678/bossa-bistro-celebrates-20-years-of-global-music/

My article for City Paper Fall Arts preview on 20 years of Bossa Bistro in Adams Morgan

“Coltun is adamant that he is not offering contrived “world music” for Anglos or others to gawk at. “These are communities, and if you’re an outsider, you need to introduce yourself, become a part of it, and show your appreciation,” he says”

I also spoke with musicians Cheick Hamala Diabate, Alfredo Mojica, and Dior Ashley Brown who all play there every month

http://stevekiviat.blogspot.com/2022/09/dc-baltimore-dmv-global-music-and-more.html

https://washingtoncitypaper.com/article/572430/2022-fall-arts-guide/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/music/2022/09/09/fall-pop-concerts-in-washington-dc/

Chr*s Richards fall picks include Rosalia tonight at Anthem

Lawrence Bradford Hand dance instructor and Joe Bussard 78 record collector RIP

Never did get a Pavement @ Warner theatre ticket for tonight and resale ones are pricey. Great locally based Ethiopian singer Munit Mesfin is at little Mr Henry's tonight . I have family responsibilities tonight and won't be at any gigs

Howard U homecoming Yardfest friday at 12 noon. Homecoming step show at Burr gym at night

Blues Alley had a fire in area between 2nd floor ceiling and roof. Plus some damage from all the water and smoke

Sad news — DC soul and gospel singer Eddie Jones has died. He mainly sang covers but had a gorgeous voice and was a friendly great guy. I saw him with band the Young Bucks, with the Legendary Orioles, and also saw he and his siblings sing in their church a few times.

Joe Lee of Joe’s Record Paradise recorded an album of Eddie and the Young Bucks and for some reason it never got released. His voice can be heard on a Legendary Orioles album. I saw the Young Bucks at a number of DC area clubs - Faces , Gwen’s Majestic, the Chateau and more . In recent years they just played once a year at blues Monday night at Westminster Church Sw. Eddie also did some multi act soul tribute events at Bethesda Blues and Birchmere . RIP

https://www.washingtonpost.com/obituaries/2022/12/02/eddie-jones-singer-guitarist-dc-soul-dead/

https://dcist.com/story/22/12/02/carter-barron-amphitheatre-rock-creek-park-renovation-alliance/

Carter Barron architectural design to be done by spring or summer 2023 they say and rebuild to be done by 2026 if they raise 20 million! Place was shut down in 2017 due to structural issues

https://washingtoncitypaper.com/article/582427/prince-georges-pride-is-the-anthem-pg-county-deserves/

“Prince George’s Pride”...Alona for WCP talks to Shorty Corleone, Brian Yeldell, Lil Chris , Malik Dope & others who participated in this song

https://washingtoncitypaper.com/article/583679/problems-at-city-winery-went-beyond-the-neighborhood/

Earlier articles seemed to just feature Dorf of City Winery blaming "the neighborhood" and violence. In his interview with me , he awkwardly defended himself re racism and then proceeded to blame "potentially violent homeless" people. City Winery in Ivy City issues are complicated. I asked DC BLM & Empower DC for thoughts also. I found that Dorf never spoke to homeless shelter director or DC DHS that works w/ shelters. His staff spoke only "several" times w/ office of DC government Nightlife director.

I also spoke with Empower DC and BLM DC and the local ANC who had different takes on the situation. Plus I quoted a tweet about how the Chills would have done better at Black Cat and that City Winery did a poor marketing job

Wow Dorf sounds like a real asshole.

Never puts the word “person” after homeless

“Attacked by some homeless”

“Potentially violent homeless”

Fuuuuuuck you

Never puts the word “person” after homeless

“Attacked by some homeless”

“Potentially violent homeless”

Fuuuuuuck you

Thanks.

Updated article with Douglas developer comment. DC government agencies promised me responses that have not come.

https://washingtoncitypaper.com/article/585210/eddie-jones-gave-d-c-a-musical-history-lesson/

My long co/write obit of DC soul and gospel singer Eddie Jones

The late Eddie Jones' sister and family still need financial assistance to pay for the funeral related expenses they incurred

https://www.gofundme.com/f/celebrating-the-life-of-eddie-jones

Not sure if this will be mostly stuff already on YouTube but: https://silver.afi.com/Browsing/Movies/Details/f-0100003805

first 2 Fugazi shows sold out quick. I got tickets to first. They added a 3rd on Wed Feb 15. I think they're trying to have stuff not already on Youtube. My buddy Jeff Heavy Metal Parking Lot Krulik is involved with this

Fugazi movie shows that is.

Tonight I did 1980s DC rockabilly nostalgia -- saw Tex Rubinowitz & the Bad Boys at the Birchmere. Pricy ticket but fun show. Great band. I previewed it for City Paper

Chris R*chards is going big on hardcore nostalgia rather than rockabilly, with a big feature article on circa 1985 Annapolis band The Hated.

Other news:

Joe Lally has openings for bass guitar lessons that he teaches

Dc government is going to move dc government workers out of Reeves Bldg at 14th & U and have developers make it mixed use. One proposal would have a Songbyrd club in it; the other would have a Dave Chappelle comedy club. Both plans would have some housing ( no word on how affordable). Dcist and Axios have articles about this

I also saw Hardway Connection down at Lamont’s. Nice set of southern soul plus they have a conga player as well now.