The Area Weekend

It's the unofficial last weekend of summer. Those of you that are not heading towards the coast, have a few options available. There are mostly local acts playing local venues, with a couple big name shows thrown in for good measure.


Austin is representing this weekend at Towson University, when What Made Milwaukee Famous takes the stage. They are on tour in support of their new album What Doesn't Kill Us and I definitely recommend it. Those of you in Philly can catch them at the Khyber on the 4th, with Wild Sweet Orange.

mp3: What Made Milwaukee Famous - Resistance St.
mp3: Wild Sweet Orange - Ten Dead Dogs

Ben Lee has been making music for half his life. I remember listening to him back in high school and that's a long time ago. Pick up his new album Ripe and get to the Rams Head Tavern in Annapolis. You can get some podcasts of Ben Lee at his website.

Here's the rest of the weekend:

Philly band Relay is heading to the Velvet Lounge for a DC show then returns home Saturday to Johnny Brenda's, joined by Violens and Ape School and featuring a DJ set by Pink Skull.

mp3: Relay - Driver
mp3: Violens - Violent Sensation Descends
mp3: Ape School - No Shame

Friday

If you like ambient and electronica, head to the North Star Friday for an all Philly area line up featuring Cloud Minder, Quintero, In Secrecy and Sounds From Atlantis.

mp3: Cloud Minder - Casimir Effect
mp3: Sounds From Atlantis - 0505

Saturday

The Red & The Black is hosting Prabir & The Substitutes. They are joined by Red Racer, Tereu Tereu and Wakey!Wakey!. I highly recommend this show.

Over at the Black Cat, our friends Bellman Barker have their first headlining show there and are supported by locals Andy Zipf and Cobra Collective.

mp3: Prabir & The Substitutes - Oh Marie
mp3: Tereu Tereu - Don't Be Sore, Farmer John
mp3: Wakey! Wakey! - Get Away
mp3: Bellman Barker - Charles Kil
mp3: Cobra Collective - Young Serbia (live)

Sunday

The Ottobar is hosting the final show of one of the first bands we made contact with here at IA, Two If By Sea. Sending them off is The Oranges Band. Get out there and give them your love, they deserve it.

Across the Potomac at IOTA, Pash is playing with Poor But Sexy and Club Scout.

mp3: Two If By Sea - Transmission (Joy Division Cover)
mp3: The Oranges Band - If These Stars Are Struck
mp3: Pash - Palindrome

Monday

Most bands must know it is a holiday, because there are slim pickings. So grab a burger from the grill and head to IOTA for the Federal Reserve Presents to end your holiday weekend right.

Sunset Photo credit: Joe

Big Weekend of Shows

It is going to be another beautiful weekend, but if you aren't going to the beaches or other destinations, there are plenty of shows to see.

Big Names and Double Duty


After shows all over the region this week, Liverpool's surgical-mask clad Clinic comes to Philly. Check out the anti-epk epk video. Classic. They are joined by one-man band BBQ (Mark Sultan).

5/30: Philly @ Johnny Brendas

BBQ - Justify

Former Sunny Day Real Estate member Jeremy Enigk is joined by singer-songwriter force and fellow Seattlean (Seattler?) Damien Jurado.

5/30: Philly @ North Star
6/3: Vienna, VA @ Jammin Java

Four big acts come together for a monster show. Check out the neo-goth of She Wants Revenge, but be sure to get their early for Be Your Own Pet, Switches and The Virgins. Enjoy the SWR video for "These Things"

5/30: DC @ 9:30 Club
5/31: Philly @ TLA



Another big show, the NON-COMMvention 2008 sponsered by XPN, features Austinite Alejandro Escovedo, Canadian songstress Kathleen Edwards, and one of my favorite Austin bands, What Made Milwaukee Famous.

5/31: Philly @ Electric Factory

Alejandro Escovedo - Five Hearts
Kathleen Edwards - In State
What Made Milwaukee Famous - Resistance St.

You can't beat free and the ABC in Harrisburg has just that. Former Soul Coughing front man Mike Doughty will be performing at the ABC anniversary show, followed by a DJ session later in the evening.

5/31: Harrisburg @ ABC

Mike Doughty - Thank You Lord, For Sending Me The F Train

Finally, California duo The Submarines are playing two shows with Headlights. In Philly, they are joined by the great local band, Papertrigger.

5/31: Philly @ North Star (w/ Papertrigger)
6/1: DC @ Black Cat

Headlights - Cherry Tulips
Papertrigger - The Late Roman Republic

Locals and One Stops

Other than the big names coming to town, plenty of local favorites are playing.

Friday night, Army of Me is joined by Philly's Jealousy Curve and The Kin in DC at the Rock & Roll Hotel, while Baltimore's Ponytail is at Danger Danger Gallery in Philly with other Charm City bandsThank You, Wzt Hearts and Austin band The Carrots.

Saturday at The Black Cat in DC, Exit Clov, Zulu Pearls and Bryan Scary & The Shredding Tears perform.

Ponytail - Celebrate The Body Electric (It Came From An Angel)
Exit Clov - Violent Berries
Zulu Pearls - Come Back
Bryan Scary & The Shredding Tears - The Blood Club