The Area Weekend

Another weekend, another set of great shows. Here's the lineup.


Parts of Swervedriver, Interpol and The Album Leaf join to create Magnetic Morning. Lead singer Adam Franklin seems to be everywhere, doing solo work, reuniting with Swervedriver and working with MM. They will be performing in DC at the Rock & Roll Hotel Friday night and Johnny Brenda's in Philly Saturday. Joining them is Springhouse. Also on board for the DC how is Julie Ocean and The Jet Age.

mp3: Magnetic Morning - At A Crossroads Passive
mp3: Julie Ocean - At The Appointed Hour
mp3: The Jet Age - O Calendar

Cold War Kids are on tour in support of their recently released new album Loyalty to Loyalty. Catch them at TLA Friday and 9:30 Club Saturday with A.A. Bondy.

mp3: Cold War Kids - Bullies Always Win
mp3: A.A. Bondy - Theres a Reason

Also doing multi-city stops is indie-popsters The Little Ones. Friday at the Khyber New Motels is the opener. Sunday at DC9, they are joined by Via Audio and locals Pash as well as The Postelles.

mp3: The Little Ones - Morning Tide
mp3: New Motels - Modern Thinkers
mp3: Via Audio - Modern Day Saint
mp3: Pash - Kill The Rich Boys II

Shiny Toy Guns can be found at Sonar Saturday and North Star Sunday. If you like a loud show, this is one to see.

Screen Vinyl Image is at the Metro Gallery with The Water, Luxa and Monocle. Saturday, you can catch SVI at the Velvet Lounge with Black Nite Crash.

Friday

Wilmington's own The Spinto Band is having a CD release party at the First Unitarian Church. Joining in on the fun is The Swims with their raucous stage manner and infectious pop songs and Scots Frightened Rabbit.

San Francisco's Citay is in Philly for a show at Johnny Brenda's. Their sound is described as dreamy shoegaze with ethereal vocals and layered acoustic guitars. Two local acts round out the night. Gianmarco Cilli, part of National Eye and a great act from the Philly folk scene, and East Hundred are also set to perform.

Over at the World Cafe, Jonatha Brooke takes the stage.

Keeping it local at the North Star, Wilmington's The Sky Drops perform.

Sweden's Blackstrap is in the midst of a North American tour. Catch them at DC9.

mp3: The Spinto Band - Summer Grof
mp3: The Swims - We Need Lava
mp3: Citay - First Fantasy
mp3: Gianmarco Cilli - Empire (Acoustic Home Demo)
mp3: East Hundred - Leave It
mp3: The Sky Drops - Now Would Be

Saturday

Only a couple of shows for Saturday not already mentioned. Pierced Arrows are at DC9 with The Shirks, Love City and Hollywood. Rock & Roll Hotel hosts US Royalty. They are joined by Bear Hands, Blonde Acid Cult and Fever.

mp3: Bear Hands - Long Lean Queen
mp3: Blonde Acid Cult - Shake It Loose (Remix)

Sunday

Now I know a few of the IA staff members are salivating over this show. Swedish pop sensation Lykke Li is at Black Cat in DC. Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson just adds to the appeal of this show.

mp3: Lykke Li - Dance Dance Dance
mp3: Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson - Buriedfed

Mid-Week Double Dip

I know gas prices are outrageous, but not to worry, the bands are doing the traveling for you. Check out these shows playing in both DC and Philly over the next few days:


Former Test Icicles member Dev Hynes bring his new side-project, Lightspeed Champion through the area. Huge in the UK, it is bound to be a big hit over here. They are joined by singer-songwriter Adam Green. You may know of him from his time with the Moldy Peaches and the Juno soundtrack. Rounding out the bill are Flowers Forever, featuring members of Tilly & The Wall.

6/3: DC @ Black Cat
6/4: Philly @ First Unitarian

mp3: Lightspeed Champion - Midnight Surprise
mp3: Flowers Forever - Black Rosary

Going the opposite direction, Bottle Up & Go showcase what can be best described as garage blues. They are sharing dates with The Bronze Episode. At the Philly show, you can see Chris Kasper. While in DC, they are joined by Len Bias and Six O'Clock Saints.

6/3: Philly @ The Fire
6/5: DC @ The Red and The Black

mp3: Bottle Up & Go - Wayword Son
mp3: Chris Kasper - Underneath & All Around
mp3: Len Bias - Born On A Casting Couch

Joining the two city shuffle is White Rabbits, finishing up a tour that took them way out west. Now they head home, playing in DC and Philly, before finishing back in New York. Along for the ride is Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson and his dirty grungy psychedelic blues. In Philly, Aderbat shares the bill and Greenland joins them in DC.

6/4: Philly @ Johnny Brenda's
6/5: DC @ Black Cat

mp3: White Rabbits - The Plot
mp3: Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson - Drive
mp3: Greenland - Forward Frame to Frame

More First Names Than You Can Shake A Stick At

If Kyp Malone of TV on the Radio is going to go so far as to call you, "my favorite songwriter right now," then yes, I'm going to give you a listen. Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson is in such a position and I have to say, that sumbitch has put out what may damn well be my favorite single of the year thus far (and there's certainly been some good stuff by this point in 2008). I can't tell you the last time I found a track by which I was so enamored that I just keep hitting repeat on ye ol' iPod, but "Buriedfed" has caused me to embark on such a course. With help from Malone and various members of Grizzly Bear (Chris Taylor, Christopher Bear and Daniel Rosen), MBAR has put together a scorching track that shows hints of both of these kick ass bands, while retaining a sound all its own.

According to his bio, Mr. Robinson has led a rather trying life and those experiences shine through on this tale of woe and missed possibilities tinged with downright pathos and addiction. Damn, though, it makes for one hell of a ride.

The eponymous LP hits July 1 on the Say Hey Records label. If the rest of the thing holds a candle to this single, we could be looking at the dark horse contender for CD of the Year here, folks. And you heard it here first. Or maybe you heard it somewhere else first, but still. You get the point. Listen to this bad boy and thank me later.

Buriedfed