Show Us Your Green!

Happy St. Patty's Day! For those of you sober enough to read, keep drinking! If you want some music for your Irish self (if only for a day), plenty of good stuff going on. And will someone kindly pick me up a shamrock shake.

9:30 Club is hosting a night with the original Irish punks, The Pogues. If you missed Monday's show or just wanted to wait for the holiday, too bad. Sold out! There is a third show Wednesday and tickets are available.

If you are left out in the cold at 930, don't fret, Bellman Barker and Greenland add a local flavor to the festivities at Asylum. Or head out to DC9 for another great local line-up featuring Rose, Revival, John Bustine and Brandon Butler.

mp3: Bellman Barker - Two Bees
mp3: Greenland - Solace
mp3: Rose - Someone's Kind
mp3: Revival - Favorite One
mp3: John Bustine - Jesus, Jesus Not Again
mp3: Brandon Butler - Sparks
(all songs provided by artist)

Other than pure drunken debauchery, those in the Philly area can check out AC Newman of The New Pornographers with The Broken West at Johnny Brenda's.

mp3: AC Newman - Submarines of Stockholm (via Matador Records)

Post-Christmas Weekend

Slim pickins for lifting those post-holiday blues. Friday is almost a complete wash and Philly is completely barren the entire weekend. At least DC is giving us something to look forward to.

New Rock Church of Fire
photo by Susan Pleiman

Local acts are coming out to play Saturday night and a belated gift is the CD release party for New Rock Church of Fire's latest effort Of The Wild at the 9:30 Club. Throw in favorites The Dance Party and you got yourself one hell of a show. Think of it like a post Xmas gift and an early NYE party rolled into one. I highly recommend being there.

Olivia Mancini is making an appearance with the Terrible Two (according to the show poster) at Black Cat. Along for the ride is another District band Revival and Fredericksburg's popsters Tereu Tereu.

New York's The Spring Standards are making a couple of local stops. Roots rock with a a large splash of country. The three part harmonies put them in the league of CSN. Catch them in Arden, Delaware (just north of Wilmington) at the Arden Club Friday, then down at DC9 Saturday with Brooklynites Elizabeth & The Catapult.

And of course, making a stop in Lancaster at the Chameleon Club, Wu-Tang Clan livens up central Pennsylvania.

Only one show to mention for Sunday. From the tiny confines of Rhode Island, Makeupbrakeup is finishing off the year with a mini-tour that brings them through the area. The Velvet Lounge has the pleasure of hosting. Philly, check out Bar Noir Monday night for the show.

mp3: The Dance Party - Lipstick
mp3: New Rock Church of Fire - Europa
mp3: Olivia Mancini - My Old Ways (stream)
mp3: Tereu Tereu - Dont Be Sore Farmer John
mp3: Revival - Fog Rolling In
mp3: The Spring Standards - Your Lie
mp3: Makeupbreakup - Jungle City

The Area Weekend

Another summer weekend, another full slate of shows. Here's what to check out:

credit: Atiba Jefferson

Storming through the area with three shows is Battles, supporting their new album Mirrored. Get your tickets fast, the shows are selling out.

6/14: DC @ 9:30 Club
6/15: Philly @ Johnny Brenda's *2 Shows!* 4:30 has tix available, night show SOLD OUT

mp3: Race In

Swedish singer-songwriter Jose Gonzalez is DC at the 9:30 Club on Sunday. He is joined by New York group Twi The Humble Feather.

mp3: Jose Gonzalez - Love Will Tear Us Apart (Joy Division Cover)
mp3: Twi The Humble Feather - Adventures of Castle One

A huge local line up is on tap down in DC for Friday. A definite folky singer-songwriter vibe with the line up of Justin Jones & The Driving Rain supported by John Bustine and Revival. Catch them at the Rock and Roll Hotel.

mp3: Justin Jones & The Driving Rain - Lie To Me
mp3: John Bustine - This Guitar Says I'm Drunk
mp3: Revival - You (Marvin Gaye Cover)

Up in Philly, electronic and eclectic tastes will enjoy Crooked Looks and Renminbi. If I see the venues schedule right, Crooked Looks is venturing to York then back to Philly to end the weekend.

6/13: Philly @ The Fire
6/14: York @ Waterway (Crooked Looks only)
6/15: Philly @ Manhattan Room (Crooked Looks Only)

mp3: Crooked Looks - Pay Day Baby
mp3: Renminbi - The Shore

Over in my old stomping ground of University City, Everthus The Deadbeats perform at the Millcreek Tavern Friday.

mp3: Everthus The Deabeats - Tommy Wommy

Johnny Brenda's goes folk Saturday when Birdie Busch takes the stage.

mp3: Birdie Busch - Mystical

To end the weekend, more singer-songwriter folkish indie eminates from Baltimore Chop as Samantha Crain performs. Or if you like your indie to end in pop, Modern Skirts are at IOTA with DC locals The Cassettes.

mp3: Samantha Crain - Bananafish
mp3: Modern Skirts - My Bully
mp3: The Cassettes - Lady Faire

The Weekend In The DC/Baltimore Region

It's the weekend and yes, Virgin Fest is happening. However, there are several other shows as well. So if you don't want to roast with a bunch of sweaty people all day, you do have options.

1990s
On Friday, you have a great show at Rock & Roll Hotel. 1990s are in town with The Red Romance and local favorites Telograph. The Sketches will also be at Black Cat and they'll be joined by Aerialist, Brandon Butler and Dennis Kane.

1990s - See You At The Lights
The Red Romance - You're So Cold
Telograph - We Won't Settle Down
The Sketches - Secret Alphabets

Metronomy - credit
Saturday has Metronomy at Rock & Roll Hotel. Also, These United States finally return home from their tour. They will be at IOTA along with Cartright and Revival.

Metronomy - Trick or Treatz
These United States - Remember, Dear
Cartright - Long Way Down
Revival - Fog Rolling In

The Mooney Suzuki
On Sunday, The Mooney Suzuki return to the area for a show at Ottobar.

The Mooney Suzuki - 99%

Revival and Angela Desveaux at DC9

Since I work at a music venue and play in a band, I don't head out to many shows anymore that I'm not working in some regard - especially not during the week. Last night was an exception. DC9 hosted an outstanding evening of country tinged rock, featuring Thrill Jockey recording artist Angela Desveaux (above) and Washington DC locals Revival.

The show was opened by the Starlingtons, but I only caught the last song of their set and don't have much to say about them as a result.

Desveaux, playing second, completely won me over. It has been months since I bought a record from an artist based purely upon their live set. I had never heard of this woman before, but her combination of strong songwriting, a charming voice and some of the most natural melodies I've heard in a long time proved to be winning formula. Hailing from Montreal, I expect she'll be a fixture on the indie circuit before too long - though she has enough country in her stylings to take her that route as well. In either case, I look forward to seeing her again next time she's through town. In fact, I'll probably try and get her to come play my club.

I first saw Revival as a part of a festival that we played a few months back, and was floored. FLOORED. Epic country songs led by a somewhat mysterious frontman with an accent that is unrecognizable. Funny, as I don't think he's from anywhere outside of the area...but then again, what do I know. Revival rarely gets together as a full band, as guitarist Evan Berodt lives in Chicago and is often busy playing guitar for one Jay Farrar (yes, that Jay Farrar). But the whole band was in town on Thursday, and despite some technical problems that caused some delays between songs, they put on a solid show. While certainly not at the pinnacle of their abilities, it was a strong set, highlighted by what is one of my favorite songs of the year in "Fog Rolling In." It'll be on their debut record, dropping in early 2007 on Gypsy Eyes Records, and frankly, I can't wait.

Check out some tracks here. Mosey on over to their websites and see what they're all about. All in all, this was a great Thursday night out.

Angela Desveaux
Heartbeat

Revival
Fog Rolling In