Sansyou (Photo by Greg Svitil)
I often find myself referring to Sansyou as DC’s answer to The Durutti Column.
That’s not to say that this talented instrumental trio from our nation’s capital evokes the same virtuoso style of Vini Reilly, one of the greatest and most singular guitarists of the new wave/post-punk era. But as Sansyou’s debut album “The Glistening One” demonstrates, both artists share a similar philosophy when it comes to creating atmosphere.
The Pet Shop Boys recently released a new album, Super — and it lives up to its name! Thanks in part to some catchy synths and some keen insights from Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe but also thanks to the golden touch of superproducer Stuart Price (that man knows his stuff!).
As you may know, the Pet Shop Boys will visit DC to perform at the Warner Theater on Nov. 11… and the show is super sold-out. Well, we cannot help you with that. But we can toast the arrival of the Pet Shop Boys with a special edition of our Careless Memories: A New Wave Party.
Join Parklife DC on Thursday, Oct. 13 at Dodge City for a Toast to the Pet Shop Boys to celebrate the hits of the Pet Shop Boys and to hear some of that new album as well. While we’re at it, we will use the Pet Shop Boys as a reference point to explore the intersections of new wave, disco, house, techno, and more! (Okay, we won’t have a lot of techno per se, but you’ll be surprised how some of our wave artists lean into techno on occasion, no?)
Enjoy the classic music video for “Opportunities” by the Pet Shop Boys on YouTube:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=di60NYGu03Y]
Be prepared for a night of listening to the Pet Shop Boys, The Human League, ABC, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Marc Almond, New Order, the Associates, Saint Etienne, Giorgio Moroder, Bronski Beat (*and* The Communards), Wham!, and probably quite a bit of various projects by Vince Clarke. Oh, and some David Bowie. It’s a night of very literate disco!
You can RSVP on Facebook or simply show up — admission is free!
A Toast to the Pet Shop Boys
Careless Memories: New Wave Party
Dodge City
Thursday, Oct. 13
Show @8pm
Free admission
21+
Empire of the Sun (Photo courtesy Astralwerks)
Things are shaping up quite nicely for the All Things Go Fall Classic, the one-day concert festival from All Things Go, scheduled for Yards Park (131 M St. SE, DC) this Saturday!
First, Hurricane Matthew will turn off and miss DC completely, according to the latest weather reports today. It had threatened to potentially dump a lot of rain on us this weekend.
Prior to that good news, All Things Go announced it sold out of its VIP tickets! But you can still buy general admission tickets for the concert this weekend, an extraordinary value still considering headliners Empire of the Sun, Passion Pit, Sylvan Esso, and Christine and the Queens are draws all on their own.
And we knew for sure that this edition of the All Things Go Fall Classic was blessed when earlier this month, Michael Angelakos of Passion Pit canceled most of his concert dates for the rest of the year but spared the Fall Classic! (He will indeed be there!)
And anchor band Empire Of The Sun recently released a video for new single “High and Low,” a track from their upcoming third studio album, Two Vines, set for release on Oct. 28. Watch it on YouTube:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntlpTad3PLM&w=640&h=360]
Here is the confirmed schedule for All Things Go Fall Classic:
12pm — Ace Cosgrove
1pm — Sofi Tukker
2pm — POP ETC
3pm — Bishop Briggs
4pm — Christine and the Queens
5:15pm – Sylvan Esso
7pm — Passion Pit
8:45 – Empire of the Sun
Don’t miss out on this great line-up and an opportunity to see these acts all in one place! The $75 festival price may jump to $99 the day of the show, so don’t hesitate to buy now. Tickets are available online.
All Things Go Fall Classic 2016
Empire of the Sun, Passion Pitt, Sylvan Echo, Christine and the Queens
Yards Park @ The Capitol Riverfront
Saturday, Oct. 8
Show @12-10:30pm
$75
All ages
The Scottish quintet Teenage Fanclub return with their first new album in six years, and that album, Here, appeared on Sept. 9 via Merge Records.
Over at Merge, they sure like their power pop, and Teenage Fanclub is right at home on their roster. But singer Norman Blake certainly leads his band through their own sunny, jangly sound. Listening to Teenage Fanclub is like having a great conversation with an old friend: You may know where it’s going but you’ll enjoy the ride.
Teenage Fanclub are touring in support of their new album, and they visit the 9:30 Club on Friday, Oct. 14. Parklife DC is giving you a chance to go!
Watch Teenage Fanclub perform “Thin Air” from the new album for BBC Radio 6 Music on Sept. 13, 2016 on YouTube:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33lc6CmgIEw]
Parklife DC is giving away a pair of tickets to see Teenage Fanclub. To win, simply leave a comment on this blog. You can leave any comment but perhaps tell us your favorite song by Teenage Fanclub.
For the rules of this giveaway–
Comments will be closed at 5pm on Friday, Oct. 7, and a winner will be randomly selected. The winner will be notified by email. The winner must respond to our email within 24 hours or they will forfeit their tickets and we will pick another winner. We will email you instructions on claiming your ticket. Good luck!
If you don’t win, tickets also are available online!
Teenage Fanclub
w/ Skylar Gudasz
9:30 Club
Friday, Oct. 14, 2016
Doors @8pm
$25
All ages
Steve Diggle often stole the show during Buzzcocks 40 at the 9:30 Club on Sept. 28, 2016.
The Buzzcocks buzzed into the 9:30 Club for a 40th anniversary show last Wednesday, delighting a strong gathering with speedy guitars and lyrical anguish.
The extraordinary Manchester quartet, led by vocalists and guitarists Pete Shelley and Steve Diggle, weren’t given much to contemplating their 40th anniversary, and indeed the 40th anniversary of the UK punk explosion, but rather they got down to playing a 21-song set that reviewed their colorful history.
At the 9:30 Club, Steve was the de facto star of the show. The Englishman was grinning ear to ear, barreling down on his guitar like a punk titan, and then pulling it up in the air with a flourish as the crowd in front of him cheered for more.
Taste of DC (Photo Credit: U.S. Department of Agriculture)
On October 8th and 9th, take a trek down to Pennsylvania Ave NW for the annual Taste of DC.
The 2016 edition will feature over 60 restaurants, along with live music, food demonstrations and tastings of over 100 beers and wines. Also look out for the Ben’s Chili Bowl chili eating contest…
The food options will be as diverse as you might want, from Croatian to BBQ to ice cream to Italian to Indian to Mexican to sushi to Turkish and beyond. There will be a Bier Garten with 50 beers. Five oz. tastes range from $2-4.
You can choose from a few ticket options, from the basic $20 General Admission (includes drink voucher, $10 towards food) all the way up to the $60 Tastemaker (free drink samples, $25 voucher, special access, etc.). They also have the Tastemaker Plus that gives you access to behind the scenes sessions like women in the food industry or local distilleries, among others.
Get your tickets here.
Taste of DC 2016
Pennsylvania Ave NW (between 3rd St – 7th St)
Saturday and Sunday, October 8 and 9
Sat: 1-8pm
Sun: 11am-6pm
$10-$80
All ages
IAMX performs at U Street Music Hall on Sept. 30, 2016. (Photo by Paivi)
IAMX is a solo project by Chris Corner (formerly of Sneaker Pimps), mixing industrial with synthpop/trip hop. His live shows are supported by two keyboard players and a live drummer but the drummer is barely visible behind the four screens and of course the drum set.
The audiovisuals and the band on the front keep you focused on what is on the foreground that you forget everything else (including the drummer) for a solid hour and half.
Beach Slang (Photo courtesy Grandstand Media & Management)
Philadelphia punk trio Beach Slang make impressively dynamic punk, at turns explosive or reflective.
James Alex (vocals, guitar), Ed McNulty (bass), and Ruben Gallego (guitar) play songs about finding your place or making your way forward on their second full-length album, A Loud Bash of Teenage Feelings, released Sept. 23 via Polyvinyl Records. Beach Slang are touring to promote the record, and they stop at the Black Cat on Tuesday, Oct. 11.
By Beach Slang’s account, “teenage feelings” consist a lot of looking out for yourself but they also involve a heck of a lot of energy. The new song “Atom Bomb” for example is a wonderful two-minute rock-n-roll celebration of feeling larger than life.
Listen to “Atom Bomb” by Beach Slang on Soundcloud:
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“We need endorphin-heavy, heart-on-sleeve, major-chord, grin-inducing punk rock right now. I mean we need it. There’s a goddamn duty of care: punk has to hold people to account and spit against authority, but sometimes you need to smile like an idiot and let go,” Noisey said of Beach Slang.
The punk gents of Beach Slang are touring with the punk ladies of Bleached on a double bill at the Black Cat. (Revisit our review of Bleached from their show at DC9 in April.) California rockers Hunny open the show.
Beach Slang & Bleached
w/ Hunny
Black Cat
Tuesday, Oct. 11
Doors @7:30pm
$16/$18
All ages
Assemblage 23 performs at Ivy City Smokehouse on Sept. 27, 2016. (Photo by Paivi)
Assemblage 23 is a Seattle-based electronic/synthwave band currently touring United States in support of their latest album Endure.
In a show produced by Spellbound Productions, Assemblage 23 drew quite a large crowd to an unusual new DC venue — Ivy City Smokehouse. As the name implies, Ivy City Smokehouse is a seafood restaurant, but it has a large, separate stage room that accommodated hundreds of concert-goers and provided Assemblage 23 with a state of the art sound system.
The Rain Within performs at Ivy City Smokehouse on Sept. 27, 2016. (Photo by Paivi)
The Rain Within is a one-man synthwave project by Andy Deane. If his name sounds familiar, it is probably because Mr. Deane is also the lead vocalist for Charlottesville, Virginia-based gothic rock outfit Bella Morte.
The Rain Within’s new album Dark Drive was released September 23rd through Negative Gain Productions, and it is available from Bandcamp. My early favorite track is Eclipse if you want to give it a try!
[bandcamp width=100% height=120 album=2617269130 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 tracklist=false artwork=small]