Celebrate A Long Weekend

I love holidays that change the day of the week year to year. Having the 4th fall on a Friday, creates one huge weekend that starts Thursday and doesn't end until you stop partying on Sunday. Some may head to the beach (like me) and suffer through some crappy cover bands all weekend. Even though Philly is the city where our independence was declared, the pickings for a good show are light, but our nation's capital is happening, and there are a few shows elsewhere. So put down the fireworks and head to a show.

Kicking it all off Thursday is David Ford, who has been through this area recently more times than I can count. The best part is it's free, part of the WTMD First Thursdays. So get to West Mount Vernon Park early, Steve Hefter and Friends of Friends starts at 5:30.

Up in Philly, it's the latest tour of the Smoking Popes at Johnny Brenda's, with a new album in tow. Sure there will be new songs, but the classics are bound to come out. They are joined by two Philly bands, Restorations, making their performance debut (welcome to the scene) and Thinking Machines.

mp3: David Ford - Go To Hell
mp3: Smoking Popes - Need You Around

Not music related, but something just very offbeat, Thursday is wedding day for Ben Franklin and Betsy Ross. No, really, this is legit. Public ceremony 8 PM at Independence Hall.


Of course, Friday is our nation's birthday and it's usually celebrated by a cook-out and going to the park, listening to the symphony roll through the Sousa marches and the 1812 Overture and ends with watching some outrageous fireworks display. Well, add XPN sponsored Freedom Fest in the Marion Court Room in Lancaster, PA to that list. Headlining is former Drive-By Trucker Jason Isbell, supported by 11 other regional acts, such as The April Skies and Kheris. Gates open at 3 and go until midnight.

If you are down in DC for the festivities, make a stop across the river to IOTA and catch locals The Sketches.

mp3: The April Skies - Here Comes The Rush
mp3: The Sketches - Dizzy

For the post-4th party hangover, Saturday has a great local bill at the Black Cat, featuring Wye Oak joined by Metropolitan, in what may be their last DC show in a long time, and Bellflur.

mp3: Wye Oak - Family Glue
mp3: Metropolitan - Homeroom
mp3: Bellflur - Volcano Song

To close out the weekend, pick your city, pick your genre. For a more Latin flavor, head to the Black Cat for Dengue Fever and Chicha Libre. They will also be in Philly on Monday at Johnny Brendas. Feeling a little retro? Get an '80s new-wave flashback with Void Vision in Philly at the Manhattan Room. And for the absurdist in all of us, The Two Man Gentleman Band is at the Metro Gallery in Baltimore. Think They Might Be Giants performing Americana and Bluegrass.

mp3: Chicha Libre - Indian Summer
mp3: The Two Man Gentleman Band - William Howard Taft

Thursday Roundup

David Ford must really like Philly. For what seems like the hundredth time in the past two months, he is gracing the World Cafe with his presence. If you missed him all the other times or just want to see him again, here's your chance, plus most of the college kids are gone, so less crowd.



mp3: Go To Hell

Ladytron and Datarock join forces to make one great electronic dance party. You can catch them through out the weekend, together Thursday and Friday and at separate shows Saturday.

6/26: Philly @ TLA
6/27: Baltimore @ Sonar
6/28: DC @ Rock & Roll Hotel (Datarock w/ KI:Theory)
6/28: Columbia MD @ Merriweather (Ladytron w/ Thievery Corporation & TV on the Radio)

For all of you who didn't know, The Lo-Fi Social Club is re-opened and under new management. Stop by Thursday night and check out Quitzow and Setting Sun from upstate New York and both supporting new albums.

mp3: Quitzow - Sponsor
mp3: Setting Sun - No Devil Me No More

For a more local show, Zulu Pearls are at Fort Reno in DC with Dress Up and The Shakes.

mp3: Zulu Pearls - Come Back
mp3: Dress Up - Swimming In The Sea
mp3: The Shakes - Summer

The First Weekend of Summer

After a few days of figuring out a new server and everything, we are finally back. There are still a couple of things to work out, but things are just about back to normal. Actually, it is going to be better than normal soon, very soon.

Anyway, it is the unofficial start of summer. For those of you not heading to your vacation spot of choice, there are some great shows to see. Here's the breakdown:

Friday

For the third time in a month, David Ford is in Philly at the TLA. Wild Sweet Orange will be joining him.

Philly natives Canadian Invasion play to the home crowd at North Star.

Brit indie-rock is at Johnny Brenda's with Air Traffic. Local act The Bye Byes round out the bill. They remind a lot of Spoon mixed with 60's pop.

Down at DC9, The Republic Tigers take the stage a night after hitting The Late Show w/ Letterman.

David Ford - Go To Hell
Wild Sweet Orange - Wrestle With God
Canadian Invasion - Nikita
The Bye Byes - Binoculars
The Republic Tigers - Buildings and Mountains

Saturday

It gets a little sparse for the rest of the weekend.

Frightened Rabbit is in Philly at The Manhattan Room.

Of course, no holiday celebration would be complete without a performance by The Dance Party. You can catch them at Jammin' Java.

The Dance Party - Lipstick

Sunday

Head back to the Manhattan Room (you know you don't work Monday) for The Hymns.

At the Metro Gallery, its a huge local bill with Karmella's Game, AVEC, Second Saturday, and Your Black Star.

The big show is at the Rock & Roll Hotel with Sea Wolf. I've seen these guys and it is a great show. Opening is The Jealous Girlfriends. You can catch this show in Philly next Thursday.

Karmella's Game - One Phone Call
AVEC - Dysplasia
Second Saturday - Arianna
Sea Wolf - You're A Wolf
The Jealous Girlfriends - Organs on the Kitchen Floor

Monday

Finally, after you finish grillin', drinkin' and whatever else your holiday entails, check out Greenland at Galaxy Hut.

Greenland - Forward Frame to Frame

The Weekend Planner

It is a packed weekend of shows again. Here are some of the highlights:

Friday


80s superstars Crowded House are back. How this works without one of the Finn brothers, I don't know, but I am sure those radio hits you remember will be on the set list. See them at the 9:30 Club in DC.

David Ford is back in town doing an XPN Free at Noon at the World Cafe Philly.

The Kills and Telepathe are doing double duty, hitting Black Cat in DC first, then heading to Philly Saturday at Johnny Brendas.

Elsewhere:
The Acorn @ The Khyber, Philly
Gildon Works/Meowskers/Cheers Elephant @ Millcreek Tavern, Philly

Saturday

British indie darlings sOuth are out touring in support of their new album You Are Here. You can check them out in DC at The Rock and Roll Hotel and hopefully they will get another Philly show soon. They are joined by The Silver State and KI:Theory.

Elsewhere:
Video Hippos/Food For Animals/Apes/The Dance Party @ A DC Warehouse

And be sure to check out the other posts from this week about other artists playing your area!

Crowded House - Locked Out
David Ford - Go To Hell
The Kills - Cheap and Cheerful
Telepathe - Chromes On It
The Acorn - Antenna
Gildon Works - Fourth But First
Meowskers - Colors That Lie
Cheers Elephant - Wide Eyed
sOuth - Better Things
The Silver State - Under The Rug
KI:Theory - Holiday Heart
Food For Animals - Swampy Summer Jam
Apes - Beat of the Double
The Dance Party - Lipstick

David Ford

Almost forgot this one. In addition to the numerous shows in Philly Thursday, English singer-songwriter David Ford is also in town at the TLA and he'll be in DC at 9:30 Club on Monday. He is out in support of his new album, Songs For The Road.

Update: He will be playing World Cafe in Philly on Fri 5/2 for XPN's Free at Noon. You can RSVP here.

Nobody Tells Me What To Do
Song For The Road

Bell X1 & David Ford Hit Philly

Bell X1 and David Ford are making a stop in Philly. You can catch them at World Cafe Live tonight.

Bell X1 - Rocky Took A Lover
David Ford - Go To Hell

Covers Suck: A Commentary

This past weekend, I was subjected to a cover band. Check that, a horrible cover band. While listening to them ruin a perfectly good song, I got to thinking about good covers. I couldn't think of many, especially of those performed by national acts. Most are shells of the original. And most of those that make popular radio play are performed by bands that have passed their peak, looking for a little more glory and more accurately, a little more money. Case in point, 311. They took a good song, not great by any means (try "Prayers for Rain" or "Disintegration", much better selections off of the same album), in "Love Song" by The Cure, and added a psuedo-reggae riff and it gets huge radio play, more than the original. Using a cover as a radio single is saying to me that you are lazy or have lost your originality and can't come up with something new to hold the interest of your fans or attract new one. You can call it a tribute, wonderful, but keep it on the album and off the radio. Make it a gift to those who actually buy your album or come to your live show. Artists are also making whole albums of covers. 'I don't feel like writing anything. I know, let's make an album of covers!' Cat Power? I know you have it in you to write your own material. You are breaking my heart. Please, save it for a live performance. Even if they are songs that no one has heard in years, please be original. And country artists, stop taking relatively current pop songs and turning them country-fried. These songs were never meant for the audience you are reaching!

The biggest problem is those subjected to these covers actually think that the songs are the performing artists orginal work. I don't know how many times I heard the story of a 'tween saying how the Dixie Chicks ruined the Smashing Pumpkins "Landslide". I am no means a Fleetwood Mac fan, but for god sakes people, know your music history! Those of you in my age group know the Say Anything soundtrack like the back of your hands. I was at a concert this fall and one band (Shiny Toy Guns) took a Depeche Mode classic, "Stripped", and tore it a new one. It almost brought a tear to my eye, and not in a good way. I had to go out and indulge my nicotine habit during the debacle. However, the kids on the floor in front of the stage were eating it up. They had no idea that the song is 20 years old and was on one of the best soundtracks and live albums ever made (thats the double disc 101 for the DM deprived). And the band never made a mention of who's song it was, maybe trying to pass it off as their own?

That is not to say there are not worthwhile cover songs out in the world. "Killing Me Softly" by The Fugees is one that strikes me as a good cover (I could have done without the 'one-time' and 'two-times'). Of course, Roberta Flack is not in my current playlist, but I recognize a good song when I hear it. Lauryn Hill was the right person with the right voice to remake that song. If some pop-whore tried, it would have gone down in flames. Even 10000 Maniacs feminizing "Everyday Is Like Sunday" was a little weak, but better than most efforts.

Here's the bottom line: For the most part, covers are an abberation that should be limited to crappy bands at college bars, live shows and B-sides. Some may break the mold and actually be as good as the original, but that is a longshot.

Some covers for you. Decide if they stand up to the original. Comment away...

Creeping Weeds - (I'm a) Donkey For Your Love (BOAT)
David Ford - There Is A Light That Never Goes Out (The Smiths)
East Hundred - Save A Prayer (Duran Duran)
Editors - Lullaby (The Cure)