Parklife DC

Music Park: Broods @ 9:30 Club — 8/1/16

Live Review

Mickey McCarter

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August 3, 2016

Georgia Nott of Broods puts her heart into song at the 9:30 Club on Monday, August 1, 2016. (Photo by Mickey McCarter)

At about a third through their set on Monday, siblings Georgia Nott and Caleb Nott moved from their stations to chairs at the edge of the stage.

The duo, who perform under their band name Broods, got their start playing covers around clubs in their native New Zealand, Georgia explained to the sold-out crowd at the 9:30 Club. And they wanted to dedicate a few songs to replicating such an intimate experience as much as possible, albeit with their own original songs and to an audience of 1,200 people or so.

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Don’t Miss: Garbage @ Lincoln Theatre, 8/3/16

Live Review

Jeremy Bailey

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August 3, 2016

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Don’t Miss: Garbage @ Lincoln Theatre, 8/3/16

Garbage (Photo Credit: Joseph Cultice)

Garbage returns to DC on Wednesday, August 3rd at the Lincoln Theatre!

Only a short 10 months has passed since they graced the 9:30 Club in October of 2015 with their two-month long, 20 Years Queer Tour (celebrating the release of their debut album). I attended that show, but only wrote a review for the opener, Torres.

I’ll somewhat correct that now, by saying it was a great performance. I was initially intrigued because I had yet to see Garbage play live.

Now Garbage is touring for their latest album, Strange Little Birds, their first since 2012 and second in a decade. Last year’s show started with great anticipation, much like waiting for their new album, when thick, black curtains hung in front of the whole 9:30 Club stage. The music started to slowly build and the minutes passed – something was happening behind the curtains. Finally, just at the perfect moment, the curtains fell dramatically and Shirley Manson and co. exploded into a crushing rendition of “Subhuman”. They went on to play 22 songs, ending with “Why Don’t You Love Me”.

Although I haven’t heard the entire new album, many of the new songs are strong entries to their catalog.

“Even Though Our Love Is Doomed” is a languid, introspective song, with spare instruments, focusing mostly on Shirley’s vocals. It builds slowly at the end, but never really tries for a rock climax.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lpcdAR9ij0]

“Empty” is the opposite. It soars to reach the epic hooks of their best early songs like “Stupid Girl” or “Only Happy When It Rains”. It doesn’t quite get to that level, but it is still a pretty good effort.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSa_hbutFt0]

I’ll have to pick up Strange Little Birds after I witness Garbage play the new songs live.

Opening is Kristin Kontrol (Kristin Gundred of Dum Dum Girls).

Garbage
w/ Kristin Kontrol
Lincoln Theatre
Wednesday, August 3, 2016
Doors 6:30pm (Show 8:00pm)
$75
All ages

Don’t Miss: Culture Club @ Strathmore, 9/11/16

Live Review

Mickey McCarter

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August 3, 2016

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Don’t Miss: Culture Club @ Strathmore, 9/11/16

Culture Club (Photo courtesy the band)

Culture Club eyed releasing a new album in 2016, but they seem to have cooled off on it for the time being.

That said, the soulful UK quartet has been hard at work on touring! The original members — including bassist Mikey Craig, guitarist Roy Hay, drummer Jon Moss, and vocalist Boy George — have been traveling the world together in the last few years, and they appear to be having the time of their lives.

As evidence of how good touring has been for the group, Parklife DC gave their live show a very positive review when it stopped by Wolf Trap in 2015, and Boy George himself came around again with his friend Cyndi Lauper (again at Wolf Trap) in June. But the local touring doesn’t end there! The restless band now are planning to hit the Music Center at Strathmore on Sunday, Sept. 11.

Watch Culture Club perform their classic hit “Miss Me Blind” for Jimmy Kimmel Live! on June 28, 2016:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ez6dOsMg0I]

Last year, we wrote, “It’s a miracle — that we were able to witness the reformation of these remarkable musicians, and I say that because Culture Club doesn’t work when it’s just the Boy George show. Surely, the flamboyant vocalist is a key ingredient of the act, but he needs his compatriots to pull it off. For their part, the other three were in remarkably good spirits, waving, shaking hands, smiling along with the audience. Their high spirits buoyed a strong performance and fed into making the band seem like a band.”

Tonight, Culture Club perform in San Antonio, Texas, hitting the road on the journey to their DC-area show. Don’t miss them blind — go see them in concert!

Tickets for the DC show are available online. (Check out the VIP package as well for a meet and greet with Culture Club!)

Culture Club
Strathmore Music Center
Sunday, Sept. 11
Show @8pm
$65-$165
All ages

Stars and Bars: Drink the District Beer Fest @ Storey Park — 7/30/16

Mickey McCarter

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August 2, 2016

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Stars and Bars: Drink the District Beer Fest @ Storey Park — 7/30/16

Charm City Meadworks at Drink the District’s Beer Fest (Photo by Mickey McCarter)

Beauty is in the eye of the beerholder, goes the famous T-shirt slogan, and it was a beautiful day indeed at Storey Park for the 5th Annual Beer Fest by Drink the District.

Hundreds upon hundreds of attendees enjoyed samples of more than 100 beers, ciders, meads, and more, as the overcast weather made it a simply fabulous time to be outdoors. If I have to stand without cover in Storey Park for an afternoon, I couldn’t have asked for better than the warm but cloudy day we experienced on Saturday.

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Don’t Miss: Speedy Ortiz @ Snallygaster, 9/17/16

Live Review

Mickey McCarter

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August 2, 2016

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Don’t Miss: Speedy Ortiz @ Snallygaster, 9/17/16

Speedy Ortiz (Photo by Bob Gruen)

Well, as it is DC’s top beer festival, Snallygaster gets a lot of attention annually for the diverse beer selection it collects from across the country.

Set for Saturday, Sept. 17 this year, Snallygaster also boasts a mini-music festival within its gates. And this year, the Neighborhood Restaurant Group, the organizers of Snallygaster, have announced the music program headliner as Speedy Ortiz, the popular Massachusetts noise pop quartet.

Speedy Ortiz have three full-length albums under their belt, including last year’s Foil Deer. In June, they released an EP, Foiled Again, a four-track record that includes two outtakes from Foil Deer — “Death Note,” which was unleashed via Sirius XMU, and “Emma O,” which debuted with Zane Lowe’s World First. It also includes two remixes of Foil Deer’s “Puffer.”

Listen to “Death Note” from Speedy Ortiz, released on June 3, via Soundcloud:

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/260818506″ params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

Adding to the headliner so far is the ever-popular Spirit Animal, a Brooklyn rock quartet that features DC’s own Steve Cooper on vocals.

Listen to Spirit Animal’s raucous World War IV EP, published earlier this year (I’ll always swear these guys have a great vibe similar to the Red Hot Chili Peppers):

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/playlists/194589558″ params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”450″ iframe=”true” /]

Snallygaster 2016 returns to The Yards in SE DC at Lot H/I, located on 1st St. SE and N St. SE, the same location as last year.

Tickets are available online.

Snallygaster 2016
The Yards
Saturday, Sept. 17
1-6pm
$35-60
21+

Don’t Miss: Biscuit Jam @ Industrious Ivy City Warehouse, 8/6/17

Mickey McCarter

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August 1, 2016

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Don’t Miss: Biscuit Jam @ Industrious Ivy City Warehouse, 8/6/17

Biscuits! (Photo by Lucas Richarz)

Hey there’s a great way to spend your day this Saturday that involves eating biscuits, listening to music, and generally just having a great time.

Go to Biscuit Jam, presented by the Mason Dixie Biscuit Co., in Ivy City for all of this and more! Mason Dixie is throwing the big biscuit bash to celebrate its second year, and you are invited!

Come out to celebrate at Biscuit Jam and dance the day away with these bands on Saturday, August 6:

Jonny Grave & The Tombstones
The Bumper Jacksons
Justin Trawick & The Common Good
Oh He Dead
Jahnel Daliya
Brian Farrow & What Got Over
Ampersand Stringband

One Love Massive will present live graffiti, 3-D expositions, and art installations. Food providers other than Mason Dixie include Amavi Sweets, Arepa Zone, Black Pearl Tarts, BBQ Bus, The Big Cheese Truc, Capitol Kettle Corn, Capital Candy Jar, Confluence Coffee, DC Brau, Dorpare Tea, Gouter, Ivy City Smokehouse, Krave Jerky, Milk Cult, Momme Meals, PinUp Preserves, Popcorn Queens, Red Hook Lobster Pound, Singer’s Significant Meats, Southern Efficiency, The Ugly Mug, and more.

Mason Dixie Biscuit Co. specializes in made-to-order gourmet biscuit sandwiches, platters, and spreads. Founded in 2014, the Kickstarter-funded and Launch Pad winning company has since been operating with much acclaim out of pop-ups around the city, through app-based delivery services UberEATS and Caviar, and a location at Union Market. The brand recently released their signature line of ready-to-bake biscuits across Whole Foods Markets Mid-Atlantic, as well as local groceries across the DC metro area.

Biscuit Jam is sponsored by The Washington Blade, DC Brau Brewing Co., Lyft, Coldwell Banker and Thomas Burns Realtor, and Bicycle Space.

Tickets are available online! Packages include general admission, beer and wine tickets, and an open bar VIP package experience.

Biscuit Jam
Industrious Ivy City Warehouse
1900 Kendal St. NE, DC
Saturday, August 6
12-10:30pm
$0-$125
All ages
21+ to drink

Music Park: Molly Ringwald w/ Dave Damiani & The No Vacancy Orchestra @ Bethesda Blues & Jazz, 7/28/16

Live Review

Mickey McCarter

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August 1, 2016

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Music Park: Molly Ringwald w/ Dave Damiani & The No Vacancy Orchestra @ Bethesda Blues & Jazz, 7/28/16

Molly Ringwald sings at Bethesda Blues & Jazz on Thursday, July 28, 2016. (Photo by Mickey McCarter)

Dave Damiani & The No Vacancy Orchestra welcomed a very special guest to its residency at Bethesda Blues & Jazz Supper Club on Thursday –- the irrepressible Molly Ringwald, Gen-X “it girl” and all around charming woman.

Singing jazz and big band standards, Dave and Molly along with The No Vacancy Orchestra, which included some players from our local Airmen of Note, entertained an attentive crowd. Dave kicked things off with early songs like “Nice ‘n’ Easy” by Frank Sinatra, looking and sounding every bit an old-fashioned crooner. (Waxing nostalgic for things “old-fashioned” during a performance of a song of the same name, Dave offered up the suggestion of drinking an Old-Fashioned. Not a bad idea, sir!) Dave captures Sinatra’s “tough but tender” persona well.

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Music Park: LP @ U Street Music Hall — 7/26/16

Live Review

Mickey McCarter

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July 29, 2016

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Music Park: LP @ U Street Music Hall — 7/26/16

LP performs at U Street Music Hall on Tuesday, July 26, 2016. (Photo by Mickey McCarter)

When you listen to LP’s new single, “Lost on You,” the most amazing thing about it is her voice — it’s a singular voice that occasionally flies high through the air and occasionally swings low through gravel. And yet the voice always sounds like it belongs to the same woman.

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Don’t Miss: W&W w/ Arty @ Echostage, 7/30/16

Live Review

Mickey McCarter

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July 29, 2016

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Don’t Miss: W&W w/ Arty @ Echostage, 7/30/16

W&W (Photo courtesy Armada Music)

Dutch collaborators Willem van Hanegem and Ward van der Harst formed W&W in 2007, and since then the DJ duo have fused styles and mixed influences ranging from trance to electro.

The DJs currently rank #14 in the DJ Mag Top 100, and they are fresh off a dominating performance at the Miami Music Week/Winter Music Conference. (Their Ultra Music Festival set in Miami has more than 2 million YouTube views!) And they are bringing their show to Echostage tomorrow, Saturday, July 30.

And W&W are certainly busy making new music as well this year. They began 2016 with “Arcade,” a new collaboration with Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, and a vocal solo single “How Many.” Most recently, they have released “Live the Night” with Hardwell and Lil Jon on their own Mainstage Music imprint.

Listen to “Live the Night” by W&W and Hardwell and Lil Jon on Soundcloud:

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/273139653″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”450″ iframe=”true” /]

Speaking of Mainstream Music, they continue to curate productions on their label for fellow artists including Armin van Buuren, Headhunterz, Dash Berlin, 3LAU, Andrew Rayel, Tritonal, Sick Individuals and many more!

Oh and if that weren’t enough, Russian house musician Arty opens for W&W, still fresh off his debut album Glorious in 2015. Prepare to dance ‘til you drop.

Tickets are available online and at the door.

W&W
w/ Arty
Echostage
Saturday, July 30
Show @9pm
$30
18+

Don’t Miss: Broods @ 9:30 Club, 8/1/16

Live Review

Mickey McCarter

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July 28, 2016

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Broods (Photo courtesy The Windish Agency)

Brother and sister musical duo Broods have come a long way in a short time! Hailing from New Zealand, Georgia and Caleb Nott released their debut album in 2014 and then toured extensively. Now they’ve returned with a second album, Conscious, and they are performing at the 9:30 Club on Monday, August 1.

The sophomore album, released June 24 via Capitol Records, boasts a few key collaborations, including a guest appearance by Tove Lo on “Freak of Nature” and co-writing from fellow New Zealander Lorde on “Heartlines,” the upcoming next single from the record.

The first single, released in April, is “Free,” a pounding R&B-tinged synth track. Watch the official music video for “Free” by Broods on YouTube:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDsxtBVLyss]

Broods recorded the new album in Los Angeles and New Zealand with production assistance from Joel Little (Lorde, Ellie Goulding, Jarryd James) as well as Alex Hope (Troye Sivan) and Captain Cuts (Halsey, Tove Lo).

Speaking of Jarryd James, the Australian alt-R&B singer is opening for Broods on this tour! Last month, he released a new single called “1000x,” which features a guest appearance by Broods! Give it a listen on Soundcloud, and turn up early to see Jarryd:

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/267947729″ params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

Tickets are available online.

Broods
w/ Jarryd James
9:30 Club
Monday, August 1
Doors @7pm
$27.50
All ages