Thursday and The Local Weekend

By the feel of the temperatures outside, winter is coming fast. Supposed to be a great weekend. Halloween is upon us and that makes for some interesting shows.

Not much going on as far a multiple city stops for bands, but there are a few highlights:

The biggest band in the world, Coldplay is coming back through the area, playing DC Halloween night at the Verizon Center and Philly at Wachovia Center Saturday.

Henry Rollins is out on a spoken word tour, sure to be a heavy political riff this time around. Sunday, catch him at the First Unitarian Church in Philly, then Monday, day before election day, he hits the Birchmere in suburban DC.

Castanets is spending the entire weekend in eastern PA. Catch them with Dylan Metrano & Paper Birds at Suba Thursday in Harrisburg. Granville Theather hosts them Friday and Saturday they are in Kutztown at Eckhaus Gallery.

mp3: Castanets - All That I Know

Jaguar Love is sporting two shows in the area. Thursday at the Black Cat, see them with Japanese artists Polysics. They are also joined by Black Gold. Saturday, Jaguar Love is in West Chester, PA at a new venue, The Note.

mp3: Jaguar Love - Highways of Gold

Thursday

Known for his work with Television (the band, not the medium), Matthew Sweet and other, Richard Lloyd is a great solo artist in his own right. See him in a small venue, The Manhattan Room in Philly, with South Jerseyites Stars Apart and locals Greyhounds.

Singer-songwriter Amos Lee, originally from the Philly area, makes a homecoming tour stop at the Keswick Theater in Glenside. Those in the DC area can catch him Monday at 9:30 Club.

The Tings Tings are hitting south central PA with a show at The Chameleon in Lancaster. This is sure to be a great show.

The Omaha music scene is well represented at The Barbary in Philly as scene mainstay and Saddle Creek artist Neva Dinova take the stage. City-mates and Team Love artist McCarthy Trenching open.

mp3: The Ting Tings - Traffic Light (Daytrotter)
mp3: Neva Dinova - Clouds
mp3: McCarthy Trenching - Cassette Tape Massacre
mp3: Greyhounds - No Slogans in 76

Friday

The joys of Halloween on a weekend. Costume parties are everywhere, so put on your best outfit and enjoy the night.

Of Montreal is at the Electric Factory with Gang Gang Dance. This is one hell of a party.

Another Philly party features local faves Man Man, joined by Tim Fite and Pit Er Pat at the Starlight Ballroom. Costumes are required! (Maybe just highly recommended).

Junior League is having their own party down at IOTA with Massachusetts band The Resurrectionists.

And don't forget about Hoots & O'Death at Johnny Brenda's!

mp3: Of Montreal - ID Engager
mp3: Gang Gang Dance - House Jam (XXXChange Remix)
mp3: Man Man - Top Drawer
mp3: Tim Fite - Forty Five Remedies
mp3: Junior League - Puppeteers

Saturday

If you are partying in AC for the weekend, head to the Borgata for former Talking Heads front man and world music afficianado David Byrne.

Philly's Drink Up Buttercup is heading outside the home area and playing a show with Bishop Allen at Black Cat. Also on the bill is Electric Owls from North Carolina.

IOTA has another great local line-up with Deleted Scenes, Feral Kids and Nunchucks.

mp3: Bishop Allen - Middle Management
mp3: Drink Up Buttercup - Young Ladies
mp3: Deleted Scenes - Fake IDs
mp3: Feral Kids - Wild Women

Sunday

Haven't heard much from Jersey native Danielson since his last release in 2006. The wait is finally over as a new album is due out soon (Trying Hartz now available for pre-order). Catch him at 941 Theater in Philly with Cryptacize.

Chicago's Horse in the Sea and Idaho's Finn Riggins play the Manhattan Room.

Down in the DC area, 9:30 Club has Hercules and Love Affair, while Jammin Java has a good set featuring Seabird and Ten Shekel Shirt.

mp3: Danielson - Animal In Every Corner
mp3: Cryptacize - No Coins

This Week's Mix

School slowed down a tad, so I had time to get the mix out this week. The cold is starting to set in, so keep warm and enjoy your weekend!

Friendly Fires - Paris
People in Planes - Last Man Standing
The Beta Band - Dr. Baker
Blitzen Trapper - Furr
Beirut - Forks And Knives (La Fete)
Passenger - Table For One
Junior League Band - The Station
The Helio Sequence - No Regrets
John Vanderslice - Keep The Dream Alive
The Weepies - Little Bird

A Hot Weekend

The mercury is going to be high, as is the humidity, this weekend. Don't let that deter you from checking out some shows.



A couple of festivals are happening this weekend. In Baltimore, the all weekend party known as Whartscape is going on with the likes of Celebration, The Mae Shi, Black Dice and Beach House, just to name a small few. Elsewhere, in Arden, Delware is a more laid back festival, Arden Music Fest, sporting acts like Hoots and Hellmouth and The Spinto Band.

mp3: Celebration - Heartbreak
mp3: Beach House - Home Again
mp3: The Spinto Band - Oh Mandy

If you aren't up for a scorching outdoor concert, you can catch some festival artists at other locations in the area. Hoots and Hellmouth are at Jammin Java Friday night. Black Dice is paired with The War On Drugs on Saturday and The Mae Shi are joined by Skeletonbreath on Sunday in Philly at The Barbary.

mp3: Hoots and Hellmouth - Want On Nothing
mp3: Black Dice - Kokomo
mp3: The War On Drugs - Taking The Farm
mp3: The Mae Shi - Lamb and Lion
mp3: Skeletonbreath - Louise

Someone Still Loves You Boris Yelstin is back on tour and hitting the IA area this weekend. With them is their Springfield, MO neighbors Ha Ha Tonka. You can also see our friends Bellman Barker at the DC show.

7/18: Philly @ World Cafe
7/19: DC @ Black Cat

mp3: Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin - Think I Wanna Die
mp3: Ha Ha Tonka - 12 Inch 3 Speed Oscillating Fan (Daytrotter)

As for the rest of the weekend, it shaped up like this:

Friday

Junior League is at the Rock & Roll Hotel and J Roddy Walston and the Business is across the Potomac at IOTA.

mp3: Junior League - Puppeteers
mp3: J Roddy Walston and the Business - Used To Did

Saturday

It's a CD release party for Philly's own The Silence Kit and their new disc A Strange Labor at The Manhattan Room. Their influence list is a who's-who of post-punk royalty and their sound attests to that.

Speaking of new albums, Dr. Dog has a new album dropping on Tuesday. You can catch some of the new songs plus all of your favorites at The Chameleon Club in Lancaster.

If free is more your thing, Thrushes is at Metro Gallery with The Go Station. Let them know you heard about it here. This is part of Baltimore's even bigger, Artscape Festival.

And at IOTA, Cobra Collective and Pittsburgh band Triggers take the stage.

mp3: The Silence Kit - A New Dissapointment
mp3: Dr. Dog - My Old Ways
mp3: Thrushes - Heartbeats
mp3: Cobra Collective - Legionnaire

Sunday

If you are at the Jersey shore, get into Atlantic City and go to the House of Blues for one of the greatest soul singers, The Reverend Al Green. Down in DC at DC9, Icelandic artist Olafur Arnalds performs.

mp3: Olafur Arnalds - Fok

Thursday Shows

It's almost the weekend and there are some good shows to check out Thursday. In addition to shows that I have already mentioned this week, here is what is going on.

For the big show of the night, its M.I.A. vs. Holy Fuck at The Armory (University City near Drexel) in Philly. Be ready for a great show. Check out the videos below.



Holy Fuck - Milkshake



M.I.A. - Jimmy

Down at DC9, These New Puritans and Imperial China take the stage. You can also catch TNP at Pure in Philly on Friday.

mp3: These New Puritans - Elvis
mp3: Imperial China - There Is No Translation

Junior League is at IOTA in Arlington.

mp3: Junior League - Puppeteers

Friday

It's finally Friday and the weekend is staring us in the eye. The bitch says party, so you better listen. Fortunately, she makes it easy to comply, by presenting you with a solid offering of shows.

To start the weekend off on a high note, French Kicks return to DC. They play a show at Rock 'N Roll Hotel and bring a little bit of New York with them in the form of Bon Savants and The Childballads.

French Kicks - So Far We Are
Bon Savants - Between the Moon and the Ocean
The Childballads - Cheekbone Hollows

Local roots rockers Junior League have a CD release at Black Cat. They call on their friends A Fine Frenzy and Essie Jain to help celebrate the occassion.

Junior League - Chess Records
A Fine Frenzy - Rangers
Essie Jain - Glory


In Baltimore, The Oranges Band return to Ottobar. Palomar will be providing support.

The Oranges Band - If These Stars Are Struck
Palomar - Bury Me Closer