*CONTEST* Glasvegas at the Hotel

Credit: Steve Gullick

Glasvegas' new album is getting rave reviews and they just so happen to be playing the area this weekend. We got two tickets for the Friday night show at the Rock & Roll Hotel to give away to a lucky reader. So drop us a line if you want to check out what all the buzz is about. Adding to the allure, local favorites Soft Complex are opening.

Geraldine


mp3: Soft Complex - Barcelona

Blisspop Presents...

DJ Willl Eastman put together a big show at 9:30 Club tonight. He will be joined by Georgie James, Soft Complex and The Dance Party. The show is a late one and starts at 11.

Georgie James - Cake Parade
Soft Complex - Barcelona
The Dance Party - Ultra Radical

This Week's Mix

This week's mix features many relatively unknown bands along with some new music from bands you should know already. I have also tried to keep with the tradition of including two songs from local artists.

1. Architecture In Helsinki - Fumble


2. Kinetic Stereokids - Explosions Were Heard


3. Two If By Sea - Report From Damage Control


4. Phoenix - Long Distance Call


5. Broken Social Scene - Fire Eye'd Boy


6. Snow Patrol - Run


7. The Hold Steady - Massive Nights


8. Soft Complex - Barcelona


9. Stars of Track and Field - Movies of Antartica


10. The Automatic Automatic - Monster

Just a note on the locals. It looks like Soft Complex will be playing a one off at 9:30 Club on September 8, before they go back into hibernation to finish the album. Two if by Sea has several dates coming up in Baltimore and many other dates in the works. Check both of their sites for more information.

This Weekend

It is the last weekend in January and it's freaking cold out, but that can't stop us. There are some great things going on in the region this weekend that you should definitely check out.

Friday

There are a couple of really good shows happening in the DC area tonight.

The night starts with Kristen Hersh playing Crooked Beat Records at 6pm to support this week's release of her new album. If you want in on the action, get there as early as you can. They can only fit 30 or so people in the store.

IA favorites Telograph are making their arena debut at The Patriot Center in Fairfax. They will be supporting Gomez and O.A.R.

Over at the Black Cat, Washington Social Club will be playing the main stage with Federal Reserve members, These United States and Let's French.

Telograph - We Won't Settle Down
Gomez - How We Operate
Washington Social Club - Backed To The Future
These United States - So High So Low So Wide So Long
Let's French - Unpack the Suitcase
Kristen Hersh - SnoCat

Saturday

In Baltimore, The Smiths tribute band Girlfriend in a Coma is playing The Ottobar. They will be supported by local favorites The Heavycoats in what will be a packed show.

Rock and Roll Hotel in DC has a huge show. Jette-Ives are having their CD release party. Jette knows how to work a crowd and she knows how to throw a party, so this should be a great one. DJ Buster and Soft Complex will be rounding out the strong bill.

Jette-Ives - Darker Than You
Soft Complex - Barcelona
The Smiths - Girlfriend in a Coma
The Heavycoats - Sea Song

Holiday Hangover Party

Going back to a normal work schedule kind of sucks, doesn't it? Well, we have a cure for you. On Saturday night, we are throwing a Holiday Hangover Party at Gullifty's in Harrisburg, PA. If you'll be around the area (Baltimore and Philly are both within 90 minutes), you should definitely check it out. The line-up features some fantastic bands and it's our first ever IA event.

DC's Soft Complex will be playing their premiere show in south central PA. They are a fantastic live band and they are definitely worth your time. If you are a fan of 80's alternative, you will not be disappointed. Hershey's excellent The April Skies, will also be featured on the bill. Rounding out the night, will be Harrisburg faves Parallax Project and The Thrives. Tickets are only $7 and drinks are half price from 9-11. If you need any additional information or plan on going, please drop us an e-mail. We hope to see you there.

Soft Complex - Barcelona
Soft Complex - Beat The Chill (ACE remix featuring Raw Poetic)
The April Skies - My Love Is In This House
The April Skies - Here Comes The Rush

The Twelve Bands of Christmas: Day Twelve - Soft Complex

Chris might write for this site, but he also plays guitar for a really good band. Soft Complex is a five-piece from Washington, DC. If you like 80's Brit pop, melodramatic vocals, chimy guitars, new wave synth, cello... this is the band for you. They recently released their debut and they have big things planned for 2007, so this is the time to become acquainted with them.

Band:
Soft Complex
Location:
Washington DC
Formed:
Current lineup solidified in February of 2005
Members:
Shane German – Vocals
Chris Connelly – Guitar, Keys
Rich Dejong – Drums
Mike Harbin – Bass, Keys
Alexia Kauffman – Cello, Keys
Label:
Silverthree Sound Recordings
Recordings:
Barcelona+ – 2006
Upcoming Live Dates:
January 6 @ Gullifty's in Harrisburg, PA
January 12 @ Starr Hill in Charlottesville, VA
January 19 @ V-Club in Huntington, WV
January 20 @ The Empty Glass in Charleston, WV
January 26 @ Alley Katz in Richmond, VA
January 27 @ Rock and Roll Hotel in Washington DC

How did the band form?
Shane formed the original band in 2002, down in Richmond. After some lineup changes, Shane moved up to Washington DC to reform the group with Mike Harbin. Mike and Shane had worked together in Richmond at Tower, and had always joked about starting a band together – but Harbin was always out touring with other bands. Shane basically brought him out of retirement; Harbin had intended to leave music behind after Burning Airlines split. Shane and Alexia were friends, and he knew about her experiences playing cello with Engine Down and some other Richmond bands, so he invited her to join. Rich was looking for a new group after leaving Phaser, and answered an ad Shane had placed in the Washington City Paper. Greg Svitil from the Antiques joined the band on guitar and helped them get started in writing material, but Greg wanted to leave to focus on Antiques material. I had moved to DC in 2004 and had been playing in a different group, but was looking for something new. I joined the band in February 2005, after leaving my first band in DC and answering Shane’s ad for a new guitar player.

How was '06 for you?
2006 was great; our first record came out, we were able to play some fantastic shows with some truly great bands, and we developed some great friends in the Washington DC music scene.

Highlight of the year?
The release of our first EP in October; it is great to finally have material out formally. It was a long time in the works, and we’re enormously proud to finally have it out there.

Oh, and for me personally (Chris), it was horribly cool to have James Iha in attendance at our show at Pianos in New York...I’m a diehard Smashing Pumpkins fan, and I could hardly contain myself.

What do you have in store for '07?
We plan to get back into the studio early in the year and record a full-length album to come out sometime later on in 2007. We’ll keep doing weekend shows, but we’re going to be focusing heavily on writing new material and recording.

Goal for '07 and beyond?
To keep writing the best songs that we can, and to keep having fun while we do it.

Barcelona+ (2006)
Barcelona
Beat the Chill (ACE Remix Featuring Raw Poetic)


CHRIS:
3 favorite songs of '06?
Crazy by Gnarls Barkley
That’s a Lie by Middle Distance Runner
Blood by Editors (but this was technically released in the UK in 2005…so I’m picking a fourth)
Cheap Champagne by Georgie James

Favorite album of the year?
Plane in Flames – Middle Distance Runner

Best live show you saw this year?
Justin Timberlake at the 9:30 Club. Seriously.

Favorite holiday song and artist?
Christmas Time is Here (vocal) by the Vince Guaraldi Trio

Best present you ever received?
My first electric guitar was a Christmas present.

Worst present you ever received?
My family and friends have always been great to me.


SHANE:
Favorite songs of '06?
1) Minimal by Pet Shop Boys
PSB are back in top form with this melancholic but insanely catchy dance cut from the Fundamental album. Spelling out a song title hasn't been this clever since O-K-L-A-H-O-M-A.
2) Crazy by Gnarls Barkley
The most soulful thing I've enjoyed since Al Green or Marvin Gaye.
3) Count Souvenirs by Junior Boys
A vocalist more melodramatic than me. Misery loves company. It's a great thing.
4) Zombie by The Trucks
Keep dancing, but watch your back.

Favorite album of the year?
I'm still not finished with my favorites from 2005, so I'm a little behind.

Best live shows you saw this year?
Morrissey w/ Goldfrapp
Sinead O'Connor w/ Sly and Robbie

Essential holiday songs?
December will be Magic Again by Kate Bush
Fairytale of New York by The Pogues feat. Kirsty MacColl
2000 Miles by The Pretenders
River by Joni Mitchell

Best present you ever received?
Something Nice.

Worst present you ever received?
Something Naughty.


ALEXIA
3 favorite songs of '06?
We share our mother’s health by The Knife
Reena by Sonic Youth
Dead Meat by Sean Lennon

Favorite album of the year?
Silent Shout – The Knife

Best live show you saw this year?
Morrissey/Goldfrapp @ SXSW
Runner up: Kraftwerk @ 930 club

Favorite holiday song and artist?
As far as holiday songs go, I like traditional- Hark the Herald Angel Sing.
I also love Chrismas Time Is Here (instrumental) by the Vince Guaraldi Trio, from Charlie Brown’s Christmas.

Best present you ever received?
Um…I don’t have the best memory.

Worst present you ever received?
No answer.


The Twelve Bands of Christmas
Introduction
Day 1: Telograph
Day 2: AVEC
Day 3: The Hard Tomorrows
Day 4: Middle Distance Runner
Day 5: Thrushes
Day 6: Georgie James
Day 7: Exit Clov
Day 8: Jette-Ives
Day 9: These United States
Day 10: Cedars
Day 11: Two if by Sea
Day 12: Soft Complex