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.

Saw that too. I will miss that live room, but it's not like there's a huge shortage of good rooms. He's very clever at the board. I do wonder what he's doing with his big console.

Don't know. I should find the time to pitch a follow up article and ask him

RIP you made some damn good fried chicken (i never tried the fried fish)

Family and friends are mourning the death of Richard “Dickie” Shannon, the founder of Horace and Dickie’s Seafood, who died Sunday at age 84 of complications from COVID-19. https://t.co/0uuLFPNnbM

— WTOP (@WTOP) February 10, 2022

I only ate the whiting fish. Good stuff

I have since been to the Glenarden location once, but not the Takoma DC, Camp Springs , or Waldorf ones.

Chris Richards in W Post is excited about following newish dc releases:

New DMV music from...

P CAIN
JETT CHANDON
DAUNTING NIGHTMARE
FACHADA
LIL XELLY
LUKE STEWART’S SILT TRIO
THUNDA MAN
WORKERS COMP

https://washingtoncitypaper.com/article/547749/the-2022-spring-arts-guide-things-to-do-in-d-c/

I previewed upcoming gigs by Rare Essence, Mdou Moctar, & R’n’b singer Lucky Daye

Chip Py-DC Go-go: Ten years Backstage book

Photos are really good; text is is ok

book release event @ Politics & Prose Union Market Sat. Feb. 26 @ 3pm

A guy who's been booking some rock gigs @ Comet P is also now booking shows at Quarry House Tavern in Silver Spring

If you're ready to go out for live or dj music there are plenty of March options in the DC Baltimore area. My March DC DMV gig list has go-go; a reopened Dwell dc local rock show; soca; gospel; Norteno; Songbyrd; Comet & a dj @ a senior center. Acts playing this month include Hardway Connection, Fatoumata Diawara, Gang of Four, Jorge Drexler, Mdou Moctar, Nick Cave, & Sons of Kemet.

Added more as I forgot about first friday Save your soul dj event at Lithuainian hall in Baltimore with dj baby alcatraz and rob macy plus some other gigs- Low at Miracle theatre, another soca show, a slash run gig that looked interesting

https://washingtoncitypaper.com/article/550604/documenting-d-c-s-doo-wop-histories/

website covers dc doo wop history and old dc clubs

https://daily.bandcamp.com/album-of-the-day/nappynappa-ondamicunderdacozmiclytz-review

Bandcamp album of the day review to DC rapper Nappy Nappa on March 14. He's also in avante-rap-electro group Model Home

https://daily.bandcamp.com/features/wifigawd-chain-of-command-interview

March 16 Bandcamp interview with dc rapper Wifigawd

https://governor.maryland.gov/2022/03/14/governor-hogan-announces-annapolis-waterfront-park-funding-to-preserve-legacy-of-historic-carrs-beach/

State of Maryland purchases Carr's beach property. When Maryland was segregated, Black beachgoers went to this beach property near Annapolis. There were r'n'b/soul shows there regularly

https://bethesdamagazine.com/bethesda-magazine/march-april-2022/hank-dietles-tavern-finds-new-identity-after-devastating-fire/

Bethesda mag take on Hank Dietle's tavern before and after fire (with some slightly flawed discussion of whether a place can be blue collar in North bethesda and what that means)

I just wish their "roots/Americana" booking included more local blues and soul acts

Not much attention in local media for the dumb ol Wammie Awards this past Saturday. I feel I have done my job in pointing out their flaws. Ha .

https://washingtoncitypaper.com/article/552331/remembering-goonew/

Goonew’s stint at MPR is significant because a number of gifted artists from D.C. and Atlanta were on the label at the time. The infectious “punch in” flow favored by the MPR rappers was sometimes dubbed the “DMV Flow.” The cadence, popularized by D.C.-based rappers where bars overlap into the previous bar, was adopted by rappers in other parts of the country, and even internationally as it spread through the hip-hop industry. The origin of the “DMV Flow” is a hotly contested debate, but Goonew’s role in its evolution is on record.

The 24-year-old Maryland rapper had a gift for smearing time, phrasing his rhymes slightly in front of the beat,

https://www.washingtonpost.com/music/2022/03/19/goonew-appreciation/

Not seeing Goonew discussed anywhere on ilx though

RIP Goonew

North Bethesda is just a fancy way of saying Rockville.

How bout we start calling Springfield South Alexandria or some shit.

But why stop there?

Newark = North Princeton

Oakland = East San Francisco

smug locals (pricks) only refer to DC as "Washington" and bristle at the rubes still calling it DC.

I know it's Rockville . Meant to put quotation marks around that. Was there a long time ago. I think Dandy Don is making a joke.

So several dcers here went to Low ( but alas I missed it). I have never been to that theatre

Loved the Miracle theater. It seemed perfect for Low. Is it a new venue? I dont get out much.

I don't know how old the building is, but yeah it has only been used for concerts for a few years at most. The folks who book Jammin Java and Union Stage use it.

First time I've been there but it's a very nice room. Some other interesting shows coming up there (Bedouine, Jenny Hval, Aldous Harding)

Looks like the Funk Parade is becoming the Funk Festival (and a less large one than it was when there was also a parade) . Trying to find out why

https://wtop.com/dc/2022/04/dc-stage-at-carter-barron-amphitheater-catches-fire/

Awwww. Bad news. In 2017 Carter Barron was shut down because of structural problems with the stage. Then the National Park Service decided it need to update the entire amphitheater. It pledged to get the plans started by 2020 or 2021. It has sat since and now yesterday April 10, 2022 there was a fire below the stage. It was once a mainstay for r'n'b and more Black music styles, and for the local community. It also hosted a Bruce Springsteen show in the early '70s, and Shakespeare in the Park for many years. This so Sad. [Was reminded that I saw Bobby Bland there. I also remember a great soul harmonies bill there that I took Brendan to. Hardway Connection played there. A zydeco battle of the bands with Bouzou Chavis and Beau Jocque. Sheila and I saw some other local soul acts there as well as poets.]

Spring Silver album is well done and skilled but something is keeping me from being as impressed by others. It is too 90s, too Shudder to Think for me. Friday show w/ Born I and Outlier.mp3 @ Chaos FM (once The Void) in College Park, MD

Born I does rap and meditation. Not sure about Outlier

I went to The Hard Art 1979 ( second edition) book release event 3 to 7 pm Sunday April 24, 2022 w/ photographer Lucian Perkins and Alec Mackaye . Mackaye wrote text for this book that includes Perkins photos at 1979 DC punk gigs including at the Hard Art Gallery. 3 bands - POA , Quattracenta Time is Fire performed @ Lamont St. plaza and saw Perkins photos on display in Elle Alley off of Mt Pleasant St NW . POA had a dub-punk sound and have Jerry Busher on drums (who sometimes used to do extra percussion for Fugazi), Dug Birdzell (from Beefeater) on bass and Shawn Brown (Dagnasty) on vocals. Kinda cool and timeless at first (but after a bit I hoped for something different or new) .

When Blue Monday Blues at Westminster Church in SW DC gets soulful with Eddie Jones ( and last night his sister and son as well) there’s no better place to be. Eddie leads on old school renditions of songs and keeps them vital. Little Willie John and William Bell covers sounded great

June 8 Home Rule Fest @ the Parks at Walter Reed with jazz, funk, and bouncebeat go-go - Doug Carn, Plunky and Oneness of Juju, David Murray, TCB

Juneteenth fest-- Pharrell was feuding with his home of VA Beach so he moved his Something in the Water Fest to DC . $$$ for 3 days with stages on Constitution Ave?

Lots of rap plus Davido, Ozuna, Dave Matthews Band, Jon Batiste, Rare Essence, Backyard Band,

Bowser and Events DC (w/ National Park Service signoff I guess) hosting $350 to $550 event near national mall

DC to host Pharrell’s ‘Something in the Water’ Prices for three-day passes run from about $350 to $550, and it prompted one to question whether there’s ever been an event near the National Mall that was not free.

Bowser cited Dîner en Blanc dinners,

…hmm

How near are we talking?

They're saying Constitution Ave . Wonder how many people they can fit

The Messthetics are playing the Petworth Porchfest this Saturday, April 30. On a porch.
4515 5th st. NW at 3pm
2pm is Janel and Anthony

If it’s on Constitution Ave. I guess the Park Service has no say?

That's what I am thinking.

Another Saturday April 30 event

* "Billy Stewart: How Nice It Is" program @ 1:30pm @ MLK Library, 901 G Street, NW, w/ - Screening of doc "Fat Boy: The Billy Stewart Story. A Panel discussion; Hand Dance Showcase; & "Silk Soul" performing

The Petworth Porchfest thing seems promising. Many friends and occasional collaborators seem to be involved. I know and like Sidewalk Soul, Sid Satellite, Social Musica. Probably several others.

I have a family commitment and can't do any of them but if I could I might also want to check out

Lightmare @ 4 @ 600 Emerson St.; Samba school @ 4 & DMV rumbaros @ 821 Upshur St.; Near Northeast @5 @ 801 Taylor St main stage; Weird Babies @ 5 @ 720 Varnum St

came here to ask if you were here @curmudgeon :’(

can confirm it’s been kinda lit

Cool. Noticed that Homie Salazar played Porchfest too. He was in kinda shoe gaze band Go Cozy but has also done things with experimental rapper Sir EU

Broccoli Fest day 1 happened in the rain; Funk Parade got postponed to a day tba; and Big G of Backyard Band afternoon birthday event at Bullpen got postponed till uh today Sunday 2 pm to 7 pm.

Washington City Paper final print issue is out with lots of tales told by writers and editors from multiple eras. Online too.

Noticed late (on Facebook) that there was another big gospel bill in Capitol Heights yesterday (and one in Baltimore too). Have been to a few in the past and have always been wowed by the powerful vocals, sometimes delivered old-school quartet style.

Taste of Jamaica today Sunday May 8 from 1 to 9 pm @ 1 Veterans plaza in Silver Spring MD

Chris Richards has the dc hardcore punk scene covered. New article on band Hologram who are at Slash Run on the 13th. I don't know 'em

https://www.washingtonpost.com/music/2022/05/11/hologram-interview/

This is profoundly lonely, hyper-percussive hardcore punk delivered at varying neural speeds, all of it composed and performed by one brain — D.C. vocalist-guitarist-bassist-drummer Brendan Reichhardt, formerly of Kombat and Closet Christ, among other groups

RE was great At MGM. 40 some years of music covering their early soul and funk stuff plus later rap and trap influenced sound. So many folks onstage plus nice video tribute to members of the Rare Essence family who have passed over the years

CNN Sunday night 10 pm travel and food and culture show Nomad did an episode on DC. I dvr'd it but haven't seen it yet.