Thursday Shows

Yeasayer (photo from r5productions)

Following a great start to the week and month, Thursday has a bunch of shows to check out.

After a night in the District, Yeasayer is coming to the First Unitarian tonight for their first Philly show in almost a year. IPod commercial featured artist Chairlift joins them.

mp3: Yeasayer - Sunrise
mp3: Chairlift - Bruises

Bluegrass meets punk sprinkled with Celtic overtones is probably one of the best ways to describe O'Death. If you have not seen them live, it is well worth the show. The entire band is shirtless and sweaty by the end of the night. Head on over to the Black Cat tonight. Local indie faves Wye Oak (nee Monarch) are also on the bill.

mp3: O'Death - Lowtide
mp3: Wye Oak - Warning

The Troc hosts a stellar line-up with Nada Surf along with Delta Spirit and The Jealous Girlfriends.

mp3: Nada Surf - See These Bones
mp3: The Jealous Girlfriends - Roboxulla

Originally a side project, Darker My Love has turned into a full time gig for Andy and Tim of the Distillers and Nerve Agents. You can catch them at Johnny Brenda's in Fishtown with Austin's The Strange Boys and locals Asteroid No. 4.

mp3: Darker My Love (download entire self-titled debut)
mp3: Asteroid No. 4 - Honeyspot

The rest of the night looks like this:

Vienna Teng @ Ram's Head Tavern
Junius/Sometimes Junkyard @ The Red and The Black
David Byrne @ The Strand (York, PA)
Modern Skirts/The Old Ceremony @ The M Room

mp3: Junius - Hiding Knives
mp3: Sometimes Junkyard - Stack Steps on Bricks
mp3: Modern Skirts - My Bully
mp3: The Old Ceremony - Ole

The Mid-Week and Beyond

Since I am heading out of town for a long weekend, the usual weekend show preview is combined with the shows that will be coming through the area today and Thursday. Quite a few big names are playing as well as some hitting multi-city stops.

TV on the Radio just dropped their new disc Dear Science and are on tour with the Dirtbombs, playing at the Electric Factory in Philly Friday night.

After a long hiatus, Shudder to Think is back together and out on tour. This Friday catch them with Philly's Pattern Is Movement at the 9:30 Club in DC.

mp3: Pattern Is Movement - Bird

Speaking of long hiatus, Wire is out on tour as well, playing Johnny Brendas Friday and the 9:30 Club Saturday.

mp3: Wire - One of Us

Find out if sampled electro-pop and hip-hop mix when Girl Talk takes the stage with Grand Buffet and Hearts of Darknesses for a sold out show at the Starlight Ballroom Thursday night. If you can't get enough, this line-up hits the 9:30 Club Friday and Sonar Saturday.

mp3: Grand Buffet - Dark Autumn

One of the originals of the East Coast punk scene, Ted Leo + Pharmacists are mixing it up with Against Me! and Future of the Left for a show Wednesday at the Black Cat, then head up to Philly and the Electric Factory.

mp3: Future of the Left - Manchasm

Another band with a new album, Apollo Sunshine is out on tour, hitting Johnny Brenda's Wednesday, then are joined by Tulsa for a show at DC9 Thursday.

mp3: Tulsa - Whissper

With a forthcoming new release, Talkdemonic is taking the new material on the road with Bon Savants. Friday night, see them at the Khyber. Sunday, locals Albatross are added to the line-up at The Red & The Black.

mp3: Talkdemonic - Duality of Deathening
mp3: Bon Savants - Between the Moon and the Ocean

The Wedding Present and the Jealous Girlfriends are joined by Philly folk locals Brown Recluse Sings for a show at the North Star Friday. You can also catch the two headliners Saturday at the Black Cat in DC.

mp3: The Wedding Present - The Thing I Like Best
mp3: The Jealous Girlfriends - Roboxulla (Daytrotter)
mp3: Brown Recluse Sings - Western Meadowlark

Wednesday

One of the best line-ups I have seen for a small club show in awhile, Philly's The Swimmers share the stage with Catfish Haven (check out the new album) and Dead Confederate.

Hot Chip/Growing @ 9:30 Club

mp3: The Swimmers - St Cecilia
mp3: Catfish Haven - Devastator
mp3: Dead Confederate - The Rat

Thursday

Uniquely out-there Georgians Of Montreal grace the 9:30 Club with their presence with Love Is All.

York, PA is getting one hell of a show with Langhorne Slim and Heartless Bastards at the Capitol Theater. DC can catch them Monday at the Black Cat.

The New Year/Dirty On Purpose/Tre Orsi @ Johnny Brendas
Laura Burhenn/Olivia Mancini & The Housemates @ Rock & Roll Hotel

mp3: Of Montreal - ID Engager
mp3: Langhorne Slim - Restless
mp3: Heartless Bastards - All This Time
mp3: The New Year - The Company I Can Get
mp3: Olivia Mancini & The Housemates - I Wouldnt Worry

Friday

DC meets Philly in Arlington at IOTA when Middle Distance Runner and Drink Up Buttercup perform. Also on the bill is New Rock Church of Fire.

Title Tracks/The Carribean/Moscow Telephone/Nathan Bell @ Metro Gallery
US Royalty @ Jammin' Java

mp3: Middle Distance Runner - Man of the People
mp3: Drink Up Buttercup - Young Ladies

Saturday

Lach @ The Red & The Black

Sunday

Local troubador Peasant makes the end of the weekend a little bit better with a show at the Tin Angel in Philly

Ra Ra Riot/Walter Meego/The Morning Benders @ Black Cat
Delta Spirit/Andy Zipf/The Moderate @ Rock & Roll Hotel
MSTRKRFT @ TLA
Jonathan Richman (The Modern Lovers) @ First Unitarian Church
Paramount Styles @ Khyber

mp3: Peasant - Those Days
mp3: Ra Ra Riot - Dying is Fine
mp3: Delta Spirit - Bleeding Bells (Daytrotter)

The First Weekend of Summer

After a few days of figuring out a new server and everything, we are finally back. There are still a couple of things to work out, but things are just about back to normal. Actually, it is going to be better than normal soon, very soon.

Anyway, it is the unofficial start of summer. For those of you not heading to your vacation spot of choice, there are some great shows to see. Here's the breakdown:

Friday

For the third time in a month, David Ford is in Philly at the TLA. Wild Sweet Orange will be joining him.

Philly natives Canadian Invasion play to the home crowd at North Star.

Brit indie-rock is at Johnny Brenda's with Air Traffic. Local act The Bye Byes round out the bill. They remind a lot of Spoon mixed with 60's pop.

Down at DC9, The Republic Tigers take the stage a night after hitting The Late Show w/ Letterman.

David Ford - Go To Hell
Wild Sweet Orange - Wrestle With God
Canadian Invasion - Nikita
The Bye Byes - Binoculars
The Republic Tigers - Buildings and Mountains

Saturday

It gets a little sparse for the rest of the weekend.

Frightened Rabbit is in Philly at The Manhattan Room.

Of course, no holiday celebration would be complete without a performance by The Dance Party. You can catch them at Jammin' Java.

The Dance Party - Lipstick

Sunday

Head back to the Manhattan Room (you know you don't work Monday) for The Hymns.

At the Metro Gallery, its a huge local bill with Karmella's Game, AVEC, Second Saturday, and Your Black Star.

The big show is at the Rock & Roll Hotel with Sea Wolf. I've seen these guys and it is a great show. Opening is The Jealous Girlfriends. You can catch this show in Philly next Thursday.

Karmella's Game - One Phone Call
AVEC - Dysplasia
Second Saturday - Arianna
Sea Wolf - You're A Wolf
The Jealous Girlfriends - Organs on the Kitchen Floor

Monday

Finally, after you finish grillin', drinkin' and whatever else your holiday entails, check out Greenland at Galaxy Hut.

Greenland - Forward Frame to Frame

Other Happenings Tonight

For a Monday, there is a nice selection of shows in the region. In addition to The Shackeltons show that you can read about here, there are a couple of others worth noting.

Kevin Devine - credit
At The Black Cat, Kevin Devine, The Jealous Girlfriends and Dave Elkins come to town. This is sure to be a fun and sweaty time at the backstage.

Kevin Devine - Just Stay
The Jealous Girlfriends - Organs On The Kitchen Floor

Middle Distance Runner - credit
DC favorites Middle Distance Runner make their Jammin' Java debut. They will be joined by their Norwegian friends, Ungdomskulen.

Middle Distance Runner - The Sun and Earth
Ungdomskulen - Modern Drummer

Big Weekend in the Area

We know the DAM! Fest is going on in DC, but if you are not going to any of those shows or want to travel a little, check out some of these:


Brooklyn's Grizzly Bear is on tour with Baltimore's Beach House through the area.

10/13: 2640 Saint Paul Church, Baltimore
10/14: First Unitarian Church, Philly

Grizzly Bear - Knife
Beach House - Apple Orchard



Nada Surf go beyond their 90s hit Popular with great new music. They share the stage with The Jealous Girlfriends.

10/13: Johnny Brendas, Philly *SOLD OUT!*

Nada Surf - Do It Again
Nada Surf - Popular (a little throwback action for ya)
The Jealous Girlfriends - Something In The Water



NYC's Earl Greyhound make a stop tonight in Lancaster at Chameleon Club. For those of you who like your indie sprinkled with some classic rock, you won't be dissapointed.

S.O.S.



Baltimore's Thrushes have a big show at Ottobar tonight. It's a part of the monthly Automatic Dance Party.

Heartbeats



Bridges and Powerlines from NYC make a stop in Baltimore tonight. They will be playing at Metro Gallery.

Floods and Fields



California's The Finches make their way to DC this evening. They will be playing at The Red and The Black. On Sunday, they will play Big Jar Books in Philly.

House Under The Hill


Middle Distance Runner comes to Philly. Come check out why we love these guys so much.

10/14: The Khyber, Philly

Up In A Tree


Finish off the weekend/Start the week with a big show. Hot Hot Heat is on tour with Bedouin Soundclash and De Novo Dahl and they are in the region.

10/14: TLA, Philly
10/15: Rams Head Live, Baltimore

Hot Hot Heat - Let Me In
Bedouin Soundclash - 12:59 Lullaby
De Novo Dahl - Be Your Man