Recap: Newport Folk Festival 2010

DJ and Biz Director Jared Iversen took to the New England countryside to catch some folk-rockers new and old and reported back to us with some sweet pictures. Check out his review and the gallery below.

The Newport Folk Festival began in 1959, and is probably best known for launching Bob Dylan’s career and as the site of his notorious 1965 performance, where he went electric and changed the face of both folk and rock music. This past weekend, nearly 18,000 people descended upon Fort Adams, an 18th Century military base situated on the pristine shores of Newport, Rhode Island, for the 51st performance of this historic concert. It was my first time at a music festival, and the relaxed air of the folk fest proved to be a great introduction to the festival experience.

On Saturday morning, my friends and I departed Providence behind schedule and anxiously drove across the state, hoping to make it in time for Blitzen Trapper’s set. We drove through the quaint Newport streets, passing mansions and battling traffic, finally making it to the scenic hilltop that hosted the festival. As we entered the gates, we heard the first chords of “Furr” and excitedly ran to the Harbor Stage, arriving just in time to see our favorite song. The memory of the day’s shaky start melted away as we stood in the blissful aura of the crowd, watching the Seattle folk rockers finish up their set.

We left the Harbor Stage satisfied that we had caught “Furr,” and began wandering around, scouring the numerous vendors for free food (thanks CLIF) and just taking in the gorgeous sites. After watching snippets of sets by the foot-stompin’ O’Death, the incredible mandolin and banjo based bluegrass of Sam Bush, and the soulful Brandi Carlile, we settled back down at the Harbor Stage to watch one of my favorite artists, Jim James of My Morning Jacket (performing as Yim Yames). As James took the stage, replacing Sam Bush, the average age of the crowd was cut in half, as its size nearly doubled. People drifted off between sets and we snagged seats about 12 rows from the stage, watching the bearded James, dressed in a stylish maroon suit and sunglasses, set up.

After a few minutes, James began his set with the Monsters of Folk tune “His Master’s Voice,” and I gazed admiringly, pretty much like this, as he stood alone on the stage, plucking his acoustic guitar and singing like an angel. The crowd seemed to share my adoration, as everyone sat enraptured by James’ intimate performance, only breaking their silence for an occasional hoot or holler as he showed off his vocal range and an explosion of applause after each song. He continued his beautiful, heartfelt set with an unreleased song called “Wonderful (The Way I Feel),” and the My Morning Jacket songs “Look at You,” “Tonight I Want to Celebrate With You,” and “Bermuda Highway.” At this point, he took a moment to remember his friend, cartoonist and musician John Callahan, who had passed away the week before, dedicating the performance to him and playing a cover of Callahan’s song “Summer Never Ends.” He continued with “It Beats 4 U” and a very subdued version of “What A Wonderful Man,” both of which carried a new gravity in light of James’ earnest tribute. Continuing the festival's collaborative tradition, he called up his friends Ben Sollee and Daniel Martin Moore, who recently released an album to raise awareness for mountain top removal, which James produced. They added a cello, bass, and drums to James’ acoustic guitar, picking up the pace on the next few songs, before ending the stellar set with knockout versions of “Smokin’ From Shootin’” and “Gideon.”

As the sun shined on our smiling faces, we hurried over to the Main Stage to watch Andrew Bird, who stood on the huge platform all by himself, playing his violin, surrounded by the bevy of other instruments and equipment he would use during his set. Bird started off by playing what he called “musical ideas,” bits and pieces of music that weren’t really fully formed songs yet. We ended up making our way towards the front of the stage, and stumbled upon a small group of people dancing off to the side, in front of the press tents. We immediately joined in, jumping around joyously and uninhibited, as Bird was accompanied on stage by Calexico, and launched into “Plasticities,” “A Nervous Tic Motion of the Head,” and “Tables and Chairs.” People stared at us. And laughed. And took pictures. But we didn’t care. It was one of those special moments that music festivals seem to induce, where strangers come together, and yell as loud as they can that “oooh there will be snacks there will.” We tried to get other people to join, and attempted to orchestrate a group clap, but the crowd seemed more content to just lounge around on the lawn, only half paying attention to Bird’s impressive set.

As the day wound down, and the sun began to approach the sailboats on the horizon, we decided to check out one more band before leaving. As we approached the smaller Quad Stage, Dawes had just finished their set, but, continuing the day’s good fortune, they asked, “Anybody wanna hear one more?” and came back out for a rare encore. I had never heard of these guys, but they instantly won me over with their uplifting anthem, “I Got a Feeling,” and sent me off with my favorite song of the day, which is still stuck in my head. After the first stanza, front man Taylor Goldsmith called his father, a musician and former member of Sweathog, onstage to help him belt out the catchy refrain. The crowd joined in, chanting elatedly as Taylor strummed his guitar and hopped around the stage with childish excitement, seemingly thrilled at how the crowd had embraced his band. Dawes was a real pleasant surprise and, after seeing their rousing performance, I discovered that this California band released a beautiful album last summer called North Hills, filled with warm harmonies reminiscent of fellow Laurel Canyonmusicians Crosby, Stills, and Nash. They are definitely one of the most promising young bands on the Americana scene, and Goldsmith has joined forces with a couple of other rising folk stars, John McCauley from Deer Tick and Matt Vasquez from Delta Spirit, and is slated to release an album with them sometime this year.

This wasn't a huge music festival, and I only saw some of the band's on just one of the two days, but it was still one of my greatest music going experiences. During his set Jim James mused at “what a miracle it all is,” asking “how can things be so great?” Wonderful music, perfect weather, and lots of cheerful people, all set against a picturesque backdrop, can make things great, and the Newport Folk Festival was nothing short of that.

Concert Review: The New Pornographers, The Dodos, Imaad Wasif @ The Fox Theater

The New Pornographers w/ The Dodos and Imaad Wasif

The Fox Theater (Oakland, CA)

July 18, 2010

Everything was going perfectly according to plan— until they started singing.  From the moment Dodos frontman Meric Long first spoke into the microphone, people in the audience perplexedly tilted their head à la a Jack Russell terrier, looked at the speakers overhead, and then back to Long.  The vocals were muffled and distant, making even music-free banter between songs almost inaudible.  His words were nearly completely indiscernible.  The audience clearly was missing most everything that was said or sung, so why wasn’t the Fox Theater sound crew even attempting to fix this obvious problem?

After a 43-year period of inactivity, the Fox Theater reopened in early 2009, and by all appearances is one of the premiere venues in the Bay Area.  Yet for all its interior beauty, the theater has continued to have problems with perfecting their sound quality, which is a real shame when two class acts like The New Pornographers and The Dodos are playing on the same night.  But as percussive elements rule The Dodos’ live performances, and as this was also a primarily New Pornographers crowd, no one in the audience raised a public fuss during the local band’s set.  The Dodos stuck mostly to songs from their touchstone album Visiter, a smart move that capitalized on their natural energy and instrumental rawness.  Acoustic guitar, drums and vibraphone, played at full force, were all they needed to at the very least sustain the interest of an older, geekier crowd than they normally see.  The band soldiered on, with songs like “Fools” and “Jodi” surging into cathartic releases and serving as reminders of how percussion can wonderfully dominate when laid out loud and bare. 

Concert Review: Quadron at Liv Nightclub (DC)

Quadron @ Liv Nightclub

23 June, 2010

Quadron! Where do I begin? There are very few musicians that have surprised me in such a pleasant way. This past Wednesday I had the opportunity to head out to U Street's Liv Night Club to see Quadron in concert. This was a pretty random event given that I hadn't heard of Quadron until the day before. Because of work, I didn't have much time to check out their music in the twenty-four hours before the concert. Pretty much all I knew was that they are a pop duo from Denmark. I also hadn't heard of Liv beforehand so I was going into this whole excursion completely blind. I persuaded a friend to come along and when we arrived at the venue both of us where pretty shocked by the scene. I for one was expecting to see a bunch of high school students with dyed hair. I don't know what made me anticipate this particular scene but this is a clear example as to why you shouldn't, and actually can't, judge a band by its genre. When we arrived, Quadron had already started their set and the audience actually consisted of jazzed-up adults. The atmosphere of the venue was very relaxed: the dance floor was not overly packed and Coco, Quadron's sole lady and lead vocalist, was talking directly to people in the audience.

If you were to ask me now, I would describe Quadron as a funky R&B-jazz duo. Coco's voice reminded me of a mix between Alice Russell and Janelle Monae. One website describes them as the "musical baby" from the union of electro-duo Dirty Projectors and Neo-soul star Jill Scott. This description is exactly on point! Coco sings with such a soulful voice, full of emotion. On stage, the duo is joined by a bassist and a multi-instrumentalist on flute and saxophone. In every song each instrument is explicitly defined but the the harmony of each individual's talent creates a beautifully unique sound. The flute, sax, keyboard and bass along with Coco's dynamic voice creates amazing song after amazing song.

My favorite tracks from the night were "Slippin" and "Jeans", two of the more upbeat tracks from their self-titled debut. If you have not already checked out Quadron I highly recommend you do so soon! With so much talent they are bound, and totally deserve, to blow up big!

-- Dominique Barron

Concert Review: Afro-Punk Festival (Brooklyn, NY)

Afro-Punk Festival
Commodore Barry Park, Brooklyn, NY

June 25-27, 2010

I had the great opportunity to escape the D.C. humidity last weekend and head up to Brooklyn, New York for the sixth annual Afro-Punk Festival. The creators of the Afro-Punk Festival describe Afro-Punk as a movement geared towards crossing cultural boundaries and embracing individuality and this uniqueness was clearly evident throughout the weekend. The festival began Friday with BMX and Skate competitions for interested participants. The music portion of the festival started Saturday with acts such as P.O.S., The Bots, Ninjasonik, and others all opening for the evening's headliner, Bad Brains. Fitting with the whole point of the Afro-Punk Festival, there was a wide range of music genres represented throughout the weekend but each set was connected in that they all required tons of dancing (or jumping) and lots of sweat. The Bots were probably my favorite performance Saturday night. They haven't even graduated from high school yet (the drummer is actually only 12), and the duo behind The Bots, brothers Mikaiah and Anaiah Lei, seem to have already amassed a strong following of fans. Their music ranges from punk to reggae and everything in between. Both boys are really talented musicians and by the time they actually do finish high school they're going to be pretty much unstoppable. They are eagerly anticipating the July 25th release of their debut album Self-Titled Album and I'm excited to hear what they're bringing. As for the most anticipated set of the night, often named the originators of the Punk genre, Bad Brains were amazing. They performed songs from their 1982 self-titled album (including the infamous "Banned in D.C.") to tracks off their latest 2007 release, Build A Nation. Even if you're like me and not the biggest fan of punk rock, watching lead vocalist H.R. on stage is an adventure in itself. Just standing in front of the mic he displays this spiritual aurora as if he's going to perform some voodoo on you just from eye contact. His essence combined with the rest of the band's playing created a crazy connection between those on stage and everyone watching in the audience.

Sunday was longer and hotter but still amazing. The lineup included Martin Luther, J*Davey, The Cool Kids, and the legendary Mos Def. Kid-Cudi also made a guest appearance during The Cool Kids' set which pretty much sent the crowd off into frantic screaming. All of the artists played great sets but the highlight of the night was definitely Mos Def. If you have not yet had the chance to see Mos Def live I highly recommend you do so asap! He is such an amazing live performer: completely confident on stage but still humble enough to read and play off the vibe from the crowd. Majority of the songs performed during his set were from his 2009 album The Ecstatic but he took it back a few times for the fans to play select songs from his debut album Black On Both Sides. Mos Def was hands-down my favorite performance from the whole festival but I was introduced to a bunch of awesome new bands and played witness to some great performances. Overall, Afro-Punk is definitely a unique festival and I'm excited to add this to my regular list of annual summer concerts.

-- Dominique Barron

Check out the photos below:

Concert Review: This Will Destroy You (Philadelphia, PA)

(photo courtesy Music Underfire)

Concert Review: This Will Destroy You w/ Light Pollution and Slow Six
Kung Fu Necktie (Philadelphia, PA)
June 11, 2010

I suppose I should begin this concert review with a disclaimer: I am currently an intern (whatever that means, even I'm not entirely sure yet) at the bar where this show took place. That means that I have exposure to all of the bands both before and after the show, that I get to deal with sound check and scheduling problems and cranky tour managers - the whole deal. Not that it should affect anything I write about the show, because it won't. I just thought you all should know in the interest of fair and honest journalism and all that jazz.

Allow me to actually begin this review by saying a few words about the opening bands, who are each deserving of their own article of praise. First up was Brooklyn band Slow Six, a group of five guys with an obvious classical interest in music. There were two equal violinists onstage alongside a keyboardist, a drummer, and a guitarist. No vocals were necessary for the sweeping sounds of their own miniature orchestra, the songs themselves both lulling and engaging without being too overbearing or difficult to follow. At this point, I can't say that there was much of a crowd to speak of, but those who were there found themselves unable to look away from the stage. Not showy at all, the members of Slow Six managed to grab attention solely through their prowess and obvious love of the music they were playing. And just as a fun side note from the backstage end of things, some of the guys were pretty shy and blushed a lot when they were given compliments (which happened a lot). Overall, definitely a band to look out for in the future. They're going places quietly, but surely.

Concert Review: Wakey! Wakey!, The Spring Standards at DC9

Wakey! Wakey! with The Spring Standards and Chris Cubeta
DC9
Wednesday, June 2, 2010

In the interest of full disclosure:

So, I missed the opening band. I hate doing so, and from what I’ve heard of their music and this particular performance, Chris Cubeta and the Liars Club, fronted by Cubeta, long time friend and producer of Wakey!Wakey!, this especially was not a show to miss. Roommate bonding trips to Ikea take far longer than one might expect, especially when one of said roommates leaves the brilliant blue stoneware set—the one that matches the kitchen perfectly—on a bench outside the shore. So that took a while. Mea culpa.

The Spring Standards’ setup and soundcheck took a bit longer, I think, than any of the 50-75some crowd expected. Heather Robb, the Standards’ ebullient leading lady—adorning the bluest of dresses and even brighter, bluer leggings—arranged with exacting care no less than seven instruments in front and around herself, carving a mini-niche at the center of the DC9 stage. James Cleare, with shaggy hair and the coolest of Batman tshirts, strummed and riffed anxiously on two or three of the five guitars lined on the edge of the stage. James Smith bounced on and off the stage, checking mics and his own cache of instruments, arranging a snare, tom, guitar, bass, mic and two cymbals in front of his stage left corner.
A listener new to the Spring Standards wouldn’t quite know what to expect. The glockenspiel, tom, synth, organ, keys, computer and electric feel emanating from Heather’s spot would presuppose the bouncy, edgy spunk of a Ra Ra Rasputin show; indeed Ken Quam of Ra Ra was in the audience. But as the Spring Standards launched into their opening few songs, especially Skyline, scenic with clanging cymbals, suspended vocals and patient dynamics, the Standards established their unique sound—as if She & Him and the Swell Season invited the cautiously obliging White Stripes to afternoon tea.

Concert Review: Sasquatch! Music Festival

In the final weekend of May, West coast WGTB warrior Scott Lensing took extensive notes on his experience at the Sasquatch! Music Festival in order to relate to loyal blog readers the performances, the atmosphere, and the best new upcoming college-rock bands. Below, Scott's account, with awesome pictures-- here's to hoping we see many of these bands come through the District in the next year.

Sasquatch! Music Festival

The Gorge; George, Washington

May 29-31, 2010

Never have I looked forward to a music festival with such giddy anticipation, with such unrealistic expectations for sonic fulfillment. The lineup? Stellar. The venue? Debilitating in its beauty. The company? Debaucherous. I knew that when I woke up on May 29, it would be the Christmas morning to top all Christmas mornings.

And so it began on the wonderfully sunny Saturday afternoon of Memorial Day weekend. Three hours southeast of Seattle, the Gorge could very well be a worthy destination for a family of four embarking upon a road trip, parents determined to expose their restless, Nintendo-addicted children to the glory of the American frontier.

But Sasquatch is certainly no place for a family. It is precisely the place, however, for a group of young ruffians looking to indulge in the sights and sounds of some of the best indie rock/pop/folk around. The clientele was surprisingly young, so much so that at times I oddly felt like a geezer. Young co-eds generally could be seen bopping about, faces freshly smeared with paint and multi-colored feathers artfully stuck in their hair. Somewhat surprisingly, Canadians abounded at the festival, with red maple leaves of every size and form on display on their cars, bodies, and bags. I was a foreigner in my own country.

The music (oh, the music!) was so captivating, though, that I was never distracted from the artists by the antics of some choice audience members. Sasquatch is comprised of four stages, with the Gorge Amphitheatre (pictured above) as the crown jewel of them all, hosting the biggest names that the festival had to offer. This stage in particular maintains a great balance for the variety of fans and musical acts. Its sloping, grassy hillside pleases those who like to experience their music lying inertly prostrate. Others, myself included, are free to dance around on the generous floor space in front of the stage.

(Check out the pics below or here and read more of Scott's article after the jump)

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Concert Review: Kings of Convenience

After postponing their February performance due to illness, the folk-pop duo Kings of Convenience fronted an expectant crowd at the 9:30 Club on Sunday night. Few left disappointed. The Norwegian duo Eirik Glambek Bøe and Erlend Øye (also of The Whitest Boy Alive) delighted with a variously moody and energetic set interspersed with the bands witty repartee. It’s rare to see such a well-heeled performance from two musicians that are, on-stage at-least, so relaxed about their public persona. At times it bordered on the overly staged- the interlude stories that reference local geography worked too well; and the sense of musical theatre was amplified by the clown-like Øye who happily took the center of attention, grooving, crowd-surfing and conducting the audience along with Bøe.

But those rare times when it seemed like too much, mostly early in the performance, were quickly counter-balanced by the pair returning to the center and performing one of their more reflective, slower songs under two sole spot-lights. It was these moments when through squinted eyes you saw a glimpse of Simon & Garfunkel- an influence overtly referenced later when, along with bearded openers ‘Franklin for Short’, they got the crowd swaying to an excellent cover of Paul Simon’s ‘Bodyguard’. Another encore later and they hadn’t stopped giving after more than an hour and a half on stage- Øye stuck around to do another 2hour DJ-set in the basement. Whilst most (including myself) bailed to get some zed’s before work in the morning, it was difficult to leave without thinking that the effortless affection and enthusiasm that animated the performance wasn’t feigned after all- perhaps these guys truly do thrive on treating their fans like kings. Four months late? The Kings of Convenience almost made it seem better that way.

--Gerard McCarthy

Concert Review: Dr. Dog

Since when did Dr. Dog become so popular? I knew that the show was sold out, but it wasn't until I walked into the main stage at the 9:30 club that I really grasped the status that Dr. Dog has acheived of late.

And what is that status? Well, its sort of a confusing one. I never really thought of Dr. Dog as 'stoner rock,' or even a 'jam band,' but maybe their self proclaimed sixties rock sound has attracted the hordes of hemp-wearing fans who draw the clumsy parallel.

Jam bands make music that is easy to listen to. Its cohesive, recognizable, and soothing to the ears. Dr. Dog's set was anything but that. They are, no matter how much playing on a big stage may mask it, a lo-fi band. But, this lo-fi quality mixed with fancy venue speakers translated into volume. Lots and lots of volume.

Dr. Dog has always been a no bullshit kind of band. Very little stage banter, short breaks in between songs (if any break at all), and zero mistakes. On a small stage, its impressive. On a big stage, its still impressive, but Dr. Dog's mechanical efficiency combined with the size of the stage, the crowd, and the polish of the production made it all a little impersonal.

To their credit, it seemed like they sent out a big 'Fuck You' to any tertiary fans who came to hear just the catchy hits from records past. Almost all of their older songs, particularly off of We All Belong bore only a passing resemblance to the originals. They're probably so sick of playing, "The Girl" that they twisted and rearranged into something new. I'm happy to see a band evolving, and think a live show should always offer something new, so I was pleased with it. But I have a feeling a lot of people left with ringing ears, some unsatisfaction, and scratching their heads.

Concert Review: Owen Pallett at the Black Cat

Owen Pallett

The Black Cat

April 15th, 2010

Owen Pallett had a cold during his show on Thursday night at the Black Cat’s mainstage. Nobody noticed until he said something—after his thirteenth song.

Nobody noticed he was onstage, either, at first. Though I’ll admit I was shamelessly scoping out the wiry, gangly must-be-a-roadie with asymmetrical hair and a black wife-beater, I couldn’t be sure that this man would start playing the violin after standing there, tuning said violin and staring unassumingly into the crowd for at least 10 minutes. But suddenly, we were off!

Pallett is one of those musicians an audience automatically takes to, based purely on the fact that he is having just as much fun performing as they are watching. And he’s quite impressive to watch—his songs use rapid-fire looping and layering (kind of like what my talentless self can do on this website, but unlike many other musicians who use a similar approach, 100% of the sound sound in many of his songs originate simply from him and a violin.

Concert Review: Woods w/ Real Estate at Rock and Roll Hotel

Woods (and Real Estate) @ Rock n Roll Hotel

March 27, 2010

 

Music Director's Note: REAL ESTATE is playing on campus, in Bulldog Alley, THIS SATURDAY NIGHT now that they're done touring with Woods, and we are selling tickets all week in Red Square for only $3! Make sure you pick one up because this is a show you won't want to miss.

Woods is one of the few shows that remind you, Oh, so that’s what a concert is supposed to be like.  Don’t get me wrong, I still love disappearing into the earthy drones of Woods within my headphones, but if you haven’t seen them live, you still have half your heart to give.  Woods’ sound achieves a distinct texture, like toes digging into damp moss and crackling campfires and haunted houses…you can see how they’re losing themselves in the music and can’t help but feed off of that energy.

On March 27^th, Woods and Real Estate came together at the Rock ‘n Roll Hotel for the last show of their tour.  One of the greatest parts was the visible camaraderie they had; it was clearly a parting of sweet sorrow (also, I’m a sucker for bands who become buddies on tour, so damn cute).  I love both these bands individually, but note to disrespectful audience members: Woods was the headliner, and not without reason.   A little background: Woods is a psychedelic folk rock band from Brooklyn (Buschwick, not Williamsburg!) and a seasoned veteran of the lo-fi scene with five full albums since 2005.  In fact, their singer/guitarist Jeremy Earl founded the queen of all lo-fi labels, Woodsist.  So if you haven’t heard of them, it’s about time to give them a chance. (cont'd after the jump)

Concert Review & Interview with The Strange Boys

Interview with Phil Sambol of The Strange Boys

March 22

9:30 Club with Deerhunter and Spoon 

There aren’t many activities in life for which you will be rewarded for not trying. Flying a plane is definitely a no, as are performing surgery and professional basketball. Music, however, is one thing where seemingly the less you care the better off you are. From diva-like storm outs to forgetting their own lyrics to passing out onstage, professional musicians have developed a sense of one-upmanship to see who can be the most indifferent. This unspoken competition certainly grates on concert goers and critics alike. However, every once in a while you find a band with the right proportion of nonchalance and talent and you remember how we all got into this crazy mess to begin with. I found this winning combination in the Strange Boys whose performance at the 9:30 club on March 22 was in a word, effortless. If you haven’t heard the Strange Boys I implore you to go out and buy their recently released album “Be Brave” and revel in their distinctively self-possessed sound. They’ve been described as “Beach Boys on mescaline” but I’m going to avoid sixties references as they’ve got a time machine sized chip on their collective shoulder (see below). In terms of contemporaries, they’re in great company with Black Lips, Harlem, and Thee Oh Sees. They’ve masterfully combined R&B, Garage Rock, Folk, and Punk and engulfed them all in a swaggering twang. Lead Singer Ryan Sambol’s voice has been described as everything from a strained squawk to a young Bob Dylan (though the two are usually synonymous) but again we’re edging pretty close to 60’s territory, but really no one wants to be compared to today’s creepy and depressing Christmas album Dylan. I don’t often implore you readers to do much of anything, so please, if you haven’t already been sold by the the infectiously uninhibited lo-fi bluesy jangle of Strange Boys take my advice and do yourself the favor of getting on this band wagon. 

I had the chance to speak with bassist Phil Sambol after the show:

Concert Review: Miles Kurosky @ DC9

Miles Kurosky @ DC9

March 24, 2010 

“The thing about Beulah fans is, they can be a little psychotic,” quipped Miles Kurosky to an intimate but enthusiastic crowd on Wednesday night. His remark--which was received, appropriately, with unbridled cheers--has more than a little bit of truth to it. Although the band boasted the tiniest of fan bases--which included myself-- during its run from 1996 to 2004, its popularity and influence has steadily grown in the intervening years. Its cult status never transferred to the mainstream, but when news broke that its frontman, Kurosky, would be touring with a new album, more than a few devotees fell out of their chairs in joy.

As Wednesday night’s concert at DC9 proves, the artist’s return was well worth the wait. Kurosky’s new album, packed with shifty, catchy compositions and cynical yet brutally honest lyrics, is an easy crowd-pleaser; as soon as he started off his set with album (and career) highlight “I Can’t Swim,” it was clear that everyone in the room was thrilled to be there. “You guys are awesome, much better than Philadelphia,” he admitted a few songs later, before launching into a string of anecdotes involving a parking lot attendant, his mother, and Conan O’Brien. Clearly an interesting and intelligent person, Kurosky consistently transcended standard stage patter to give the audience the best possible time-- “I’m just your dancing monkey,” he laughed, but his appreciation for the goodwill and fervor of the audience was obvious. Toward the end of the night, Kurosky addressed the elephant in the room and took requests for Beulah songs, attempting nearly all of them even if he forgot the chords or lyrics halfway through. During one such number (which was successfully completed), “Landslide Baby,” the audience became so passionately involved that they continued singing after the song had finished. “It’s like we’re in a religious revivalist tent,” he said, but it was clear that everyone there was happy to have Kurosky as their preacher.

-- Mark Stern
Host, "Don't You Wish We Were NPR," Mondays 8-10 AM on WGTB

Concert Review: The Morning Benders at the Black Cat

The Morning Benders @ The Black Cat
March 11, 2010

The morning benders played a sold out show at the Black Cat on March 11. This band’s popularity came as a surprise to no one but the morning benders themselves. Throughout the incredible set comprised solely of songs off of their second album, “Big Echo,” frontman Chris Chu commented effusively on how thankful the band was for everyone in attendance. It is this earnestness which to me is the secret of the morning bender’s [lower caps intentional] inescapable charm. “Big Echo” marks a departure from their debut album, “Talking through Tin Cans,” the kind of sweet, innocuous indie rock which elicited some luke-warm comparisons to The Shins. Their newest release comes from the idea that a big shout produces a big echo, and this album marks the transcendence of the pleasant small echo of "Talking Through Tin Cans" to the loftier reverberations of their own big echo. For this album the benders explored Phil Spector’s concept of the "wall of sound," adding an inescapable depth to the more doleful melodies.

Concert Review (and Interview!): Blood Feathers at the Black Cat

Blood Feathers @ The Black Cat

Washington, DC

March 4, 2010

I caught Blood Feathers on the final night of their two-day tour through the East Coast, fresh off of their premiere show the night before in Philadelphia. The band played at the Black Cat with Tough Shits and Seas, to a crowd of Blood Feathers enthusiasts—lead singer Ben Dickey’s mother, as well as other family and friends were prominent among the crowd on Thursday night. I chatted with the band backstage before their set about their newest album, band dynamics, first experiences with Urban Outifitters’ shameless self-promotion, and some special advice for Georgetown students, among other things.

(find out after the jump!)

Bushwalla visits WGTB, plays some tunes before Jammin Java set 2/22/2010

Last Monday, DJ Catherine Degennaro brought Bushwalla into the WGTB studios to play a few acoustic songs and discuss his latest work before taking the stage at the Jammin Java that night. Catch the in-studio set below along with the interview, and Catherine's concert review with more photos after the jump!
Bushwalla Interview by wgtbmusic
 
1982 Blues by wgtbmusic
Raise Up - Bushwalla acoustic in-studio at WGTB by wgtbmusic
Acoustic Rhymer - Bushwalla in WGTB studio by wgtbmusic

Listen to an Interview with Big D - & Concert Review

DJ Andrew Rennie (Host, "Bangers and Mash," Sunday mornings 8-10 AM on WGTB) caught Big D's performance at the 9:30 Club on Feb. 26, and spoke to the band before they took the stage.

Catch the interview below.
Interview with Big D by wgtbmusic

Concert Review: Freelance Whales, Bear in Heaven, Cymbals Eat Guitars

 

Nice Stache(s)!

OK: so I have to admit right off I'd only listened a couple of tracks from each of the bands playing last night before I showed up at the show. But I had mostly liked what I heard so I was geared up for what could be a good show in probably the worst venue in DC (the sound is so bad... always).

Freelance Whales opened. Promptly at 9:30. (In fact, most things were right on schedule and set changes were quick which was pretty rad in and of itself - I guess I owe you that one RR Hotel!) They put together a pretty good set, opening with one of the Generator songs from their 2009 "Weathervanes" album and closing with the other. In between it was a veritable clown car of instruments: I can't even tell you what each song they busted out something new and different (harmonium! banjo! cello! glockenspiel!). They have a real good energy despite the venue (which was rather sparsely filled at that point), but really set a good tone for the rest of the acts to follow. All in all one of the better openers I had seen in a while.

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Concert Review: Clientele at the Black Cat, Feb. 23 2010

 

Clientele @ The Black Cat, Washington DC

Feb. 23 2010

Despite compiling one of the most consistently rewarding 1960s pop-inspired discographies of the last decade, four-piece the Clientele have failed to garner the following that they deserve, neither statewide nor in their native England. This lack of attention is apparent both in recent band comments about getting out of music and in the showing at their Black Cat show this past Tuesday. Showing up halfway through Devandra Banhart-collaborating Vetiver's bizarre folk-twang opening, I was able to easily assume a position two rows from the stage before the Clientele had appeared on stage.

Following their first song, an awkward and prolonged exchange between lead Alasdair MacLean and an audience member complaining about their reverb-heavy sound set the tone for the rest of the show. Less than halfway through the set and after several attempts at very English humor that missed its mark with the audience, MacLean warily commented that "the banter isn't working tonight." From then on, though, the show took off, with the band playing song into song and MacLean showing jam-band chops that one might not expect from listening to his generally contented guitar.

The show peaked during its encore, with traditional closer "Bookshop Casanova" eschewed for "Bicycles." The band then briefly conferenced before launching into "Joseph Cornell," a less often played single from the Clientele's debut Suburban Light demanded by a small but very vocal minority in the audience. With newly-added multi-intermentalist Mel Draisey adding a welcome tamboruine to the song's oringally sublime mix, it was an appropriately calm ending to the set. It is such innovations that a new member can bring to an established sound, and such accomplishments that would make it such a shame for the Clientele to not continue into the next decade. Given the appreciation they are shown, though, one can hardly blame them.

-- Jake Sticka
Host, "Don't You Wish We Were NPR," Mondays 8-10 AM on WGTB

Concert Review: Surfer Blood

Who knew there were so many Floridians in DC? The crowd at DC9 Wednesday night seemed to be littered with little conglomerates of Florida folk who came out to see that band that made it out. Florida isn’t quite renowned for the indie-rock it produces (are we counting Dashboard? No. But I want to), and perhaps that made the experience all the more special. The show had an appropriately casual feel to it; without an elevated stage and the performers eye-level with the crowd made the show more like it was at Jeff’s house party than a DC bar.