This Week's Mix

The first full week of 2009 and the weather pretty much matched everyone's feelings on the subject. I am headed up north in search of snow this weekend, but I leave you with some music that will hopefully have you forgetting the weather and enjoying yourselves.

Peter Broderick - And It's Alright
School of Seven Bells - Iamundernodisguise
Ambulance Ltd - Stay Where You Are
Secret Machines - Now You're Gone
Mobius Band - Hallie
Autodrone - Strike A Match
Ladyhawke - Magic
Ruby Isle - White Winter Hymnal (Fleet Foxes Cover)
CFCF - Crystal Mines
Miniature Tigers - Cannibal Queen

Joseph Arthur & Secret Machines On Tour & Swapping Cities

Photo from Artist Website

No, singer-songwriter extraordinaire Joseph Arthur and former Texans The Secret Machines are not touring together, but they are both playing shows in the area tonight and Friday. Both very recently dropped new albums, Arthur's Temporary People at the end of September and TSM's self-title third album this past Tuesday. Joseph Arthur is still up to his old tricks, and will be joined by his band The Lonely Astronauts. The Secret Machines have undergone a major transformation since their 2006 album, Ten Silver Drops. Ben Curtis, brother to lead singer Brandon, has since left the band to focus on his new project School of Seven Bells. Going back to the heavier sound found on their debut LP, the reviews have been mixed.

Joseph Arthur & The Lonely Astronauts

10/16: York, PA @ Capitol Theater
10/17: Towson @ Recher Theater

The Secret Machines

10/16: DC @ 9:30 Club
10/17: Philly @ The Troc

mp3: Joseph Arthur - Temporary People
mp3: The Secret Machines - Atomic Heels

Kicking Off The Week

We haven't heard much from The Secret Machines since their 2006 release Ten Silver Drops. No new album is on the board, but new material will be debuted during a mini-tour of the northeast. So expect something available soon. The only show in the region is with Bellmer Dolls in Philly at North Star.

Down in DC, two shows liven up your Monday. Fresh off an appearance in Philly, Seattle-based The Cops head south to The Red and The Black. Elsewhere, The Rosewood Thieves are at DC9. Check them out!

Secret Machines - Lightning Blue Eyes
Bellmer Dolls - Push Push
The Cops - It's Epidemic
The Rosewood Thieves - Silver Gun

Secret Machines

Secret Machines - credit
Secret Machines make their return to DC tonight. In a last second show, they will be headlining Rock and Roll Hotel. You can get your tickets here.

Nowhere Again

Artscape

About a week and a half ago, I headed to Artscape in Baltimore. Artscape is an annual free outdoor arts festival that takes place over three days in the summer. For the event, they block off several city blocks and let all the cheap bastards roam all over the place. You can bring your own alcohol, so people are standing in the middle of the street with the huge coolers with wheels filled with alcohol. You have to love B-More. This event also includes three stages of live music (local, rap/r&b, and rock). I went on Saturday night, when the rock stage was headlined by The Secret Machines and G Love & Special Sauce.

To make a long story short, we stood in the middle of a street with no cover and it started lightening and raining like crazy during The Secret Machines' set. Near the end of their set, the organizers asked them to leave the stage for their own safety. The audience begged them to play one more song and after letting us know that we were responsible if they got electrocuted, they agreed and played a 10 minute version of "Nowhere Again." The song started with them having their own natural light show and suddenly, the rain temporarily stopped and a huge rainbow formed behind the audience right around the time they hit the line "maybe the rain'll stop following me with millions of colors reflected in daylight." It was one of those concert experiences that you will never forget. They even stood out in the rain for an hour talking to fans, taking pictures and signing autographs. Definitely cool. *Edit* I actually stumbled across a copy of their show. You can download it here.

By the time G Love took the stage, I was wringing water out of my shirt. The good news was that the rain had finally stopped. I first discovered Garrett and his band about 12 years ago, but even I have to admit that some of his recordings suffer from over production. Fortunately, his live concerts don't and he was on fire that night. He went through pretty much every up beat "hit" song in his catalogue and even threw in some Taj Mahal and Snoop Dogg. There were people everywhere. They were dancing in the street, hanging off of lightposts, it was nuts. Anytime you mix live music, beer and the word free, you have yourself an old fashioned street party. There is a taper who actually got a soundboard copy of this show, which you can download or stream here.

I will post a song that each band played. Please support G Love and The Secret Machines. If you like what you hear, buy yourself an album, t-shirt, sticker or whatever else they happen to be peddling. Enjoy!

The Secret Machines - Nowhere Again
G Love & Special Sauce - This Ain't Living