Weekday Music

The year is soon coming to an end, the college students are done the first semester and heading home and looking for something to do. Quite a few shows during the week for those looking for something to fill the time usually spent working or studying.

Photo from artist myspace

Playing back-to-back nights at the Birchmere, Aimee Mann is having a sort of homecoming (born in Midlothian, VA). Out on tour promoting @#%&*! Smilers, these shows Monday and Tuesday are sure to be a good time.

Monday

The guys at R5productions call this possibly the best show they saw all year. See what the words are all about when Bon Iver comes to the Troc in Philly. Opening is Scandanavian folksinger Kristian Matsson aka The Tallest Man On Earth, who happens to be the latest to receive the title 'the next Dylan'. Some say it's true. Get there early to find out.

For something a little more local, Galaxy Hut is hosting Rose and Brandon Butler.

mp3: Bon Iver - Skinny Love
mp3: The Tallest Man on Earth - I Wont Be Found
mp3: Rose - Another Sad Song
mp3: Brandon Butler - Sparks

Tuesday

Great show at the Ottobar in Baltimore with Ra Ra Riot. Also on the bill are So Many Dynamos from the St. Louis area, who are set to release their new album The Loud Wars on Vagrant Records in the spring. Californians Princeton round out the lineup.

Staying in Baltimore, the Metro Gallery gets a little sleazy with Sleazetone artist Ssion. A little bit of disco with some electro-punk under some thinly veiled smutty lyrics, it will get you dancing.

mp3: Ra Ra Riot - Dying Is Fine
mp3: Princeton - The Waves
mp3: Ssion - Clown

Wednesday/Thursday

Not much to say about Wednesday other than Messiah College is having a great free show with Philly's Pattern Is Movement. It's a great venue and you usually can get up nice and close.

Thursday is much more lively. Johnny Brenda's is hosting a great local lineup with Secretly Canadian locals The War On Drugs. Philly's premiere banjo folk artist Joshua Marcus is set to open with Comoros.

Deleted Scenes is having a CD release party for the new disc Birdseed Shirt at the Black Cat. Exit Clov, who puts on a great show, will also be on the bill as well as La Strada from NYC.

The Oranges Band are back in their hometown, still living it up after their release of The Oranges Band Are Invisible. Catch them at Talking Head with Sal Bando, featuring former members of Two If By Sea, and Philly band Blood Feathers

Eyes Night of the Baltimore Round Robin happens Thursday at Sonar. The big name band on the bill is Beach House, but so many more will be playing in the round for you. And down at The Red & The Black, catch Karate Coyote from Columbus.

mp3: Pattern is Movement - Bird
mp3: The War On Drugs - Taking The Farm
mp3: Joshua Marcus - Coal or Smoke
mp3: Deleted Scenes - Get Your Shit Together for the Holidays
mp3: Exit Clov - Violent Berries
mp3: La Strada - The Sun Song
mp3: Beach House - Master of None
mp3: The Oranges Band - ArtStar
mp3: Blood Feathers (album stream)

The Area Weekend

Knowing how Thursday shaped up, the weekend looks just as stellar. Lots of national acts are coming through the area. Here's what to check out.

Photo: Bands Myspace

Birdmonster just released their latest album, From the Mountain to the Sea at the beginning of September and now they are on tour. Down in Fredericksburg on Friday at The Wounded Bookshop, they are joined by locals Tereu Tereu. On Saturday they are at Johnny Brenda's with The Rumble Strips and Jotto. Sunday, they head back south to the Black Cat for another show with The Rumble Strips.

mp3: Birdmonster - Born to Be Your Man
mp3: Tereu Tereu - Lion Bear
mp3: The Rumble Strips - Alarm Clock
mp3: Jotto - Backyard Circus

From behind-the-scenes to the front of the stage, Willoughby, who has worked with the likes of Junkie XL and others, is touring with The Bird & The Bee and making a couple stops in the area. Friday, head to Jammin' Java for a great show. Saturday, the two perform in Annapolis at Rams Head Tavern.

mp3: Willoughby - Story

Friday

We haven't heard much from Shudder to Think in a very long time, since they have not released anything since the late '90s. They recently regrouped to perform at Virgin Fest and stick around for a more substantial tour. Maybe another album is in the works. Friday night, Philly act Pattern is Movement joins the reunion at the TLA.

The Slip is at the World Cafe in Philly. It's been a while since new material has come out from them, maybe we will hear some at this show.

Chicago folk-rocker Andrew Bird is at the Zoellner Arts Center at Lehigh University.

mp3: Pattern is Movement - Bird
mp3: The Slip - Children of December (Daytrotter)
mp3: Andrew Bird - Heretics

Saturday

Alt-country superstars Old 97s are playing in Lancaster at the Chameleon.

Singer-songwriters Matt Nathanson and Jessie Baylin are on tour together and are making a stop at the TLA in Philly.


Sunday

It's a little chilly for the beach, but the shows in Atlantic City will keep you coming back. The House of Blues is hosting Death Cab for Cutie and St. Vincent.

Mason Jennings finishes off the weekend at the TLA.

Electro-pop buzz band Hot Chip is at the Troc in Philly with Growing.

Ra Ra Riot/The Little Ones

Ra Ra Riot are back out on the road. For this tour, they are being joined by The Little Ones, who are supporting a new EP. Their only regional stop is tonight at The Ottobar in Baltimore. They will be joined by locals, Kadman.

Ra Ra Riot - Each Year
The Little Ones - Boracay
Kadman - Blue Walls

Weekend Regional Concert Highlights

I know, it has been rather quiet around here lately. I have had a rather awful November on the personal side of things and that has kept me away for most of the month. Those of you who have spoken to me, know how ridiculous it has been. Between bizarre illnesses, strange accidents and other random events, I haven't been in a state to write much. Anyway, I promise that December will be better. We have a lot of things coming up, including the return of one of our most popular features of '06 and our various best of lists. In the meantime, I'll leave you with the weekend regional show highlights.

These United States - credit
Washington, DC
Friday
Ra Ra Riot/Jukebox The Ghost/These United States @ Rock 'N Roll Hotel

Baltimore, MD
Friday
M.I.A. @ Sonar

Philadelphia, PA
Friday
The Teeth/The High Strung/Via Audio @ North Star Bar
The Caribbean @ Tritone

Saturday
M.I.A. @ Electric Factory
Celebration/Dragons of Zynth @ Johnny Brendas

Sunday
The Clean @ Johnny Brendas

Ra Ra Riot - Can You Tell
Jukebox The Ghost - Good Day
These United States - Burn This Bridge
M.I.A. - Paper Planes
The Teeth - It's Not Funny
The High Strung - The Baddest Ship
Via Audio - We Can Be Good
The Caribbean - The Go From Tactical
Celebration - Heartbreak
Dragons of Zynth - Get Off
The Clean - Tally Ho

Tokyo Police Club and Ra Ra Riot Video Clips

Awhile ago, I told you that I took some clips of songs at the Tokyo Police Club/Ra Ra Riot August DC show and promised to upload them. Well it has taken longer than I had hoped, but here they are.

This first one is the full song of the latest single by Tokyo Police Club, "Your English Is Good."



This next one is two clips of Ra Ra Riot starting out with how energetic they are and switching to a more mellow song. I couldn't get the entire song for either of them, but this should give you an idea of what their shows are like.



Enjoy!

Editors Tonight

There is a big show at 9:30 Club tonight. Editors are in town and they are joined by Ra Ra Riot and Biffy Clyro.

Editors - An End Has A Start
Ra Ra Riot - Can You Tell
Biffy Clyro - Folding Stars

Tokyo Police Club/Ra Ra Riot/Jukebox The Ghost - Rock and Roll Hotel - 8/7/07

This was one of my most anticipated concerts of the summer and oddly enough, the show actually lived up to my lofty expectations. Apparently, I wasn't the only one. The show sold out early. Even getting to the Rock and Roll Hotel a half hour before it started, did not guarantee a spot in the front row. The younger fans were sitting against the stage in great anticipation for what was to become an amazing show.

The first band was DC's own Jukebox the Ghost. I had not heard much of them prior to the show and was extremely surprised at how good they really were. They played a really great set of indie pop, switching off between main singers and giving the crowd plenty of songs to dance to. For a band that has only released a 5 song EP, they had plenty of songs in their repertoire. After the show, I got to meet the guys and they were some of the nicest people that I have ever had the pleasure to meet. Go out and grab their EP to prepare yourself, as they make their way up and down the East Coast over the coming weeks. These guys are going to get big, so get on board now.

Next up was Ra Ra Riot, who unfortunately lost their drummer earlier this summer. However, it seemed to make them bring it even harder and there was barely a moment during their songs when any of them would be standing still.

They started off the set with "Each Year," which is one of my favorites from their EP. The energy felt by the crowd before the set was only heightened with band members dancing with each other, getting up on monitors to sing and just generally bringing lots of raw emotion to their music. It is rare these days to see a lead singer who only sings and it was a welcomed sight, because the showmanship was just immaculate and he really gave the crowd everything we wanted.

The two ladies on the strings, really added to the overall sound. The violinist even added vocals to a few of the songs. There were some problems with her mic early on, but everything was fixed by the end and she sounded great. The band even played several new songs that I am sure they will play on September 6th at the 9:30 Club, when they open for Editors.

Finally, it was time for Tokyo Police Club. Ever since I got A Lesson in Crime, I have been hoping for these guys to come to DC when I was in town. They finally got here and it was everything that I had been waiting for.

The guys played all the songs off A Lesson in Crime as well as songs from the Smith EP and my favorite, the single "Your English Is Good." I got a video of the song when they played it and when I get it edited, I will find a place to host it and post it on IA for everyone to watch. The energy these guys brought was hard to believe and was even greater than that of Ra Ra Riot. The sold out crowd was singing along with every song they knew and listened intently to the new songs the guys previewed.

After signing with Saddle Creek, these guys seem to be stepping it up another notch. If their new CD sounds anything like the new songs they played, it will be one of the best of 2008. I really look forward to that release and the guys coming back to DC.

Jukebox the Ghost Pictures
Ra Ra Riot Pictures
Tokyo Police Club Pictures

Jukebox the Ghost - Hold It In
Ra Ra Riot - Each Year
Tokyo Police Club - Box

Thursday in Philly

Before you all come down to DC for our Birthday show on Friday, make the trip to Philly Thursday and check out a great line up at Johnny Brendas. Tokyo Police Club and Ra Ra Riot are moving up the east coast, this time joined by Vampire Weekend.

Tokyo Police Club - Nature of the Experiment
Ra Ra Riot - Can You Tell
Vampire Weekend - Oxford Comma

As an alternative, check out The Fire for the band that played for them Tuesday in DC, one of the District's hottest bands, Jukebox the Ghost.

Jukebox The Ghost - Hold It In

Tuesday in DC

Alright, tonight is pretty crazy. There are solid bands everywhere and you have a lot of choices. You really can't go wrong with any of these.

Tokyo Police Club
The big ticket buzz show of the night is at Rock & Roll Hotel. Tokyo Police Club will be in town and they will be joined by Ra Ra Riot and local darlings, Jukebox the Ghost.

Tokyo Police Club - Nature Of The Experiment
Tokyo Police Club - Box
Ra Ra Riot - Each Year
Ra Ra Riot - Can Your Tell
Jukebox The Ghost - Good Day
Jukebox The Ghost - Hold It In

The Beanstalk Library - credit
DC's The Beanstalk Library is having a big CD release party for America At Night at IOTA. If you want to hear a great live band and help celebrate the release of one of the strongest local records of the year, this show is for you.

The Beanstalk Library - Fake It
The Beanstalk Library - Elephantitis
The Beanstalk Library - Fog Over My Mind

Calla
NYC's Calla and Philly's The A-Sides will be at Black Cat for a sweaty backstage show.

Calla - Bronson
The A-Sides - Cinematic

Band of Horses
The other huge show tonight, is Band of Horses at 9:30 Club. They will be joined by Love As Laughter and A Decent Animal.

Band of Horses - Monsters
Love As Laughter - Dirty Lives
A Decent Animal - Bird

This Week's Music Mix

Since I am going away for the weekend, I won't be able to post my normal weekend mix. Instead of waiting until Monday to post it, I will post it today! I have been getting a lot of new music and listening to many different things, but these are all songs that I have playing on repeat on my mp3 player:

1. Vampire Weekend - A-Punk
2. The Vita Ruins - Godspeed To That Polytheist
3. Sigur Ros and Mob Deep - Untitled Shook Ones (Emancipator Mash Up)
4. Shout Out Louds - Tonight I Have To Leave It
5. Iron and Wine - Boy With A Coin
6. Zulu Pearls - Half Hearted
7. Fields - Charming The Flames
8. Film School - On & On
9. Wild Sweet Orange - Ten Dead Dogs
10. Ra Ra Riot - Each Year
    
11. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Isis (Video Shown Below)<hype machine>

I have two local bands in there, The Vita Ruins and Zulu Pearls. The Vita Ruins played an amazing set last Friday at Black Cat and Zulu Pearls are having their CD Release Party this upcoming Tuesday at the Rock & Roll Hotel. I will definitely be attending this show and I highly recommend it! Enjoy the music and I will be back with a lot more next week.