The Local Weekend: Where's Everyone Going?

Yeah, it is about that time for bands to migrate southward towards Austin and the music festival know as SXSW. Philly and Baltimore are very sparse, DC has a bit more. Guess we will see a surge in the coming weeks as bands come home or continue their tours. Still, some great shows to see this weekend. Here is what's happening:

Bell X1 (via bands myspace)

With their new album Blue Lights on the Runway just released last week, Bell X1 is pulling off the World Cafe double. First making your lunch hour more enjoyable with the XPN Free at Noon session, then playing the Cafe in the evening with Harlem Shakes, who's Technicolor Health is to be released at the end of this month. Unfortunately, Duke Special couldn't gain entry to the country, so they will not be performing.

If you don't have your tickets for this weekends Modest Mouse shows, you are going to have to belly up to the bar and take what's coming to ya. The Friday show at 9:30 and Saturday's at the Electric Factory are both sold out.

Most of you, our faithful readers, were barely out of grade school when The Feelies played their last full-on proper gig. But these guys are one of the original leaders of the post-punk era. The Johnny Brenda's show Friday is sold out, but tickets still remain for Saturday's show at 9:30.

mp3: The Feelies - Loveless Love (via r5productions.com)

Morrissey is back on tour for his latest release. He is in DC this Saturday at the Warner Theather. Philly, we get him next week. I got my tix for next Sunday, do you?

Another pulling a two city stop is N.A.S.A. Catch them at The Barbary on Friday and the Rock & Roll Hotel Saturday.

mp3: N.A.S.A. - Spacious Thoughts (via Anti- Records)

The last few weekends, new CDs have been released by numerous locals. Continuing the trend is Philly indie mainstays Canadian Invasion. Head to the World Cafe Saturday for the release show for Three Cheers for the Invisible Hand that is already getting rave reviews.

mp3: Canadian Invasion - One Hand Claps The Other (via Green Light Go)

Friday

As I said Philly is sparse. Other than those mentioned above, Harrisburg's Midtown Arts Center has the lone PA show for the start of the weekend featuring Brooklyn electronic outfit Project Jenny, Project Jan.

Baltimore also has a light load, but it's a good one. Ottobar is featuring The Death Set with Team Robespierre and Ninjasonik.

DC is where everything is happening for Friday the 13th with almost every kind of style. Sugar sweet indie-pop can be found at the Black Cat as Bishop Allen comes back to town. Be sure to get there early for Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band and Sing Sing & Mar Mar.

Want a more soulful experience? The Rock & Roll Hotel is hosting Eli "Paperboy" Reed. If you didn't know he was a white boy from Massachusetts, you'd think you were listening to a Motown/Philly soul compilation.

If you are feeling a bit folky, DC9 has William Elliott Whitmore with Samantha Crain and local Justin Jones performing solo acoustic.

More on the Americana side of folk, Junior League Band is performing with 6 Day Bender as NoVA gets into the act with a great local showcase at IOTA.

mp3: The Death Set - Negative Thinking (via bands website)
mp3: Ninjasonik - Tight Pants (via ChiefRecords.com)
mp3: Bishop Allen - Dimmer (via bishopallen.com)
mp3: Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band - Anchors Dropped (via scjag.com)
mp3: William Elliott Whitmore - One Mans Shame (via Southern Records)
mp3: Samantha Crain - Get The Fever Out (via RamseurRecords.net)
mp3: Justin Jones - The One That Got Away (via Justin-Jones.com)
mp3: Junior League Band - I Will (via JuniorLeagueBand.com)

Saturday/Sunday

Female singer-songwriters are always good in my book. One of my favorites, Rachael Yamagata is teaming up with a huge name of the Philly folk scene Birdie Busch in Annapolis at the Rams Head Tavern Saturday.

Get your local fix with two great shows Saturday. At the Black Cat is Travis Morrison Hellfighters and Poor But Sexy, while Baltimore's Talking Head has Thrushes with London's Let's Wrestle and fellow Baltimore band Baby Aspirin.

Philly has a a good show lined up at the M Room, featuring The Rosewood Thieves and local favorites The Swimmers. Opening is Swivel Chairs.

The North Star is hosting locals Bells Bells Bells with Brooklyn based The Art of Shooting and Cinema Cinema.

Sunday at the Black Cat is a must see. Aaron Estes of Bellman Barker performs with Ryan Little of Tereu Tereu along with Wakey! Wakey!. This is a great show to end the weekend.

Channeling Joy Division and Bauhaus is Crystal Stilts. Catch them at DC9 Sunday with Women and locals True Womanhood.

Philly, head to the Khyber for the last gas of the weekend for Nancy, all the way from Brazil.

mp3: Travis Morrison Hellfighters - All Y'All (full album stream)
mp3: Thrushes - Loyalty (via band)
mp3: The Swimmers - In The Park (via Daytrotter.com)
mp3: Bells Bells Bells - The Doctor (via band)
mp3: Cinema Cinema - I Dont Wanna Be Yr Boyfriend (via bands website)
mp3: Bellman Barker - Two Bees (via band)
mp3: Tereu Tereu - Lion Bear (via band)
mp3: Wakey! Wakey! - Get Away (Here We Go Again) (via bands website)
mp3: Women - Black Rice (via Flemisheye.com)
mp3: True Womanhood - A Diviner (via band's Last FM site)