Parklife DC

Music Park: VIDEO @ DC9 — 2/17/16

Live Review

Mickey McCarter

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February 19, 2016

TV’s Daniel of VIDEO (Photo by Jon Chamberlain)

“You don’t deserve VIDEO,” spits frontman Daniel Fried as he gazes out over the audience. “We’re too good for you. But we’re going to do you a solid and give you the best damn show of your life.”

Daniel’s band VIDEO threw down some amazingly raucous garage punk rock at DC9 on Wednesday night as part of a traveling showcase from Third Man Records. Detroit rock-n-rollers Timmy’s Organism were the headliners of the Audio Social Dissent Tour but VIDEO, zipping into the middle set of three bands, certainly captured the room to my ears.

The frontman (who goes by “TV’s Daniel” in the band) began the show with his back turned to the audience as he knelt before the drums. His bandmates — Payton Green, Harpal Assi, and Gregory Rutherford — played a pleasing post-punk instrumental while Daniel meditated, perhaps gathering his strength. Then he stands to sing a smoky punk tune, “I Will Wait.”

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Don’t Miss: Deep Sea Diver (opening for Radiation City) @ DC9, 2/29/16

Live Review

Jeremy Bailey

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February 19, 2016

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Don’t Miss: Deep Sea Diver (opening for Radiation City) @ DC9, 2/29/16

Deep Sea Diver (Photo courtesy of Force Field PR)

Deep Sea Diver’s new album, Secrets, hits the streets on Friday, February 19th.

Just in time for you to get a copy and give it a spin (or whatever you say after you download and listen…) before they perform at DC9 on February 29th. They open for Radiation City.

And Secrets is well worth your time. It is heavy on guitar riffs and infused with chorus after melodic chorus. You’ll listen to the album over and over. The live performance should bring new and exciting energy to each song.

Deep Sea Diver has its origins in Seattle. Members are Jessica Dobson on lead vocals (she was the former guitarist of The Shins but left to focus Deep Sea Diver), Peter Mansen on drums, Garrett Gue on bass, and Elliot Jackson on guitar and synth.

The title track and first single, “Secrets”, wants you to show them the way and to remember your first love.
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/232682983″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”150″ iframe=”true” /]

“Always Waiting” is a slow, powerful song that declares aptly, “I’m always waiting for the right words to explain it.”
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/playlists/43524029″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”150″ iframe=”true” /]

Check out their full performance live on KEXP (an indie radio station in Seattle):

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OuR4KKcogiY]

You can order Secrets here.

Deep Sea Diver
(Opening for Radiation City)
DC9
Monday, February 29
Doors @ 8:30pm
$12
All ages

Don’t Miss: Potty Mouth @ DC9, 2/26/16

Live Review

Mickey McCarter

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February 18, 2016

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Potty Mouth (Photo by Jesse Riggins)

Massachusetts post-punk trio Potty Mouth have released a self-titled EP, and the ladies are hitting DC9 on Friday, Feb. 26 as part of their tour to support it.

The band’s new songs are catchy guitar pop that build upon its debut album Hell Bent. With the clever “Cherry Picking,” vocalist Abby Weems sings of reaching for the best of the best while a spoken word refrain gives the track some savoir-faire.

Watch the official music video for “Cherry Picking” by Potty Mouth on YouTube (the empowering video is an answer to the video for “I Want You Around” by The Ramones!):

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PcJTxdmjs4Q]

Critics say Potty Mouth, named after an album by riot grrl band Bratmobile, have added post-grunge bands like Veruca Salt to their influences, and you can hear that loud and clear in the single “Creeper Weed,” a song about accepting yourself, which is accompanied by a video featuring a skateboarding wicked witch.

Watch the official music video for “Creeper Weed” by Potty Mouth on YouTube:

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

The last time I saw Potty Mouth, also at DC9, they were a quartet! In dropping a member, they seem leaner and sound cleaner.

“On stage, Potty Mouth radiate laidback confidence—they are comfortable performing and they clearly enjoy what they do,” I said of Abby, bassist Ally Einbinder, and drummer Victoria Mandanas while writing of their last visit in January 2014 for We Love DC.

Newtown-Conn.-based rock quartet Stove and DC-area post-punks Bleary Eyed open for Potty Mouth. Tickets are available online.

Potty Mouth
w/ Stove and Bleary Eyed
DC9
Friday, Feb. 26
Doors @6:30pm
$10
All ages

Don’t Miss: Timmy’s Organism @ DC9, 2/17/16

Live Review

Mickey McCarter

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February 17, 2016

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Don’t Miss: Timmy’s Organism @ DC9, 2/17/16

Tim Lampinen aka Timmy Vulgar (PR Photo)

Third Man Records, the Nashville-based treasure trove of a publisher, has been supporting some interesting acts in Detroit, including the legendary Tim Lampinen, now channeling his cult following through his band Timmy’s Organism.

The trio consists of vocalist and guitarist Tim (aka Timmy Vulgar) and bassist Jeff Giant and drummer Blake Hill. The band released its latest album, Heartless Heathen, via Third Man in 2015, and they are now touring in support of it with fellow Detroit band Regression 696 (which actually is two-thirds of Detroit noise-rockers Wolf Eyes) and VIDEO from Austin. The tour, labeled Audio Social Dissent 2016, stops at DC9 tonight, Wednesday, Feb. 17.

Listen to Timmy’s Organism’s first single from Heartless Heathen — “Get Up, Get Out,” a raucous punk rock record:

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/218644517″ params=”color=ff5500″ width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

Timmy’s Organism cite Captain Beefheart and Destroy All Monsters as well as classic punk bands like Chrome, Crime, and the Damned as influences. Go to DC9 tonight for a rare opportunity to see Detroit legends throw a thundering rock ‘n’ roll party in our fair city.

Tickets are available at the door.

Third Man Records Presents: Audio Social Dissent 2016
Timmy’s Organism
w/ VIDEO and Regression 696
DC9
Doors @8pm
$12
All ages

Music Park: Priests @ Black Cat — 2/14/16

Live Review

Mickey McCarter

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February 17, 2016

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Music Park: Priests @ Black Cat — 2/14/16

Katie Alice Greer (front) and Taylor M (back) of Priests perform at Fort Reno Park in DC on July 17, 2014. (Photo by Lewis Francis)

Daniele Withonel ignited the show with a rain of drumbeats from the back of the stage as she started belting out the sing-song words to “No Big Bang,” a newer song being played by her band Priests.

Bassist Taylor M. jumps in, and the main stage at the Black Cat on Sunday night is full of deep, driving, urgent beats as Priests begin their set. Guitarist Gideon Jaguar stands to the side, throwing in some sparkly chords here and there. Toward the end of the song, it combusts, and vocalist Katie Greer shrieks into her microphone as Gideon’s guitar explodes with a wave of surf rock.

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Music Park: Protomartyr @ Black Cat — 2/14/16

Live Review

Mickey McCarter

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February 16, 2016

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Music Park: Protomartyr @ Black Cat — 2/14/16

Protomartyr perform for NPR’s “Tiny Desk Concert” series on Oct. 19, 2015. (Photo by Alison Hurt)

Joe Casey sings with determination. He grips the microphone and barks and growls in a defiant manner that suggests he’s not backing down.

Fronting the band Protomartyr, Joe is joined by three men who sound as seasoned as he: guitarist Greg Ahee, bassist Scott Davidson, and drummer Alex Leonard. Collectively, they produce guitar-driven music that is occasionally shimmery, occasionally pounding, and always a bit sardonic.

Sounding quite grim compared to some of their fellow post-punk standard-bearers, the prolific quartet from Detroit — three albums in four years! — dropped by the Black Cat on Sunday night to play a very full set dominated by their latest record, The Agent Intellect, released last October via Hardly Art.

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Sports Park: Capitals Fortnightly Report Card — 2/1-2/14/16

Around Town

Jeremy Bailey

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February 15, 2016

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Sports Park: Capitals Fortnightly Report Card — 2/1-2/14/16

Fortnightly Record: 5-2-0 (10 pts)
Overall: 40-10-4 (84 pts)

After a gritty 5-game winning streak, the Capitals went ice cold last Saturday (no pun intended) against Dallas in the second quarter, giving up four goals. But they powered back for three goals in the third period, not quite enough to earn any points.

The Caps continue to lead the Metropolitan Division by a wide margin (14 pts) and continue to have the most points in the league overall (7 pts better than Dallas and Chicago, even having played fewer games).

Alex Ovechkin continues to shine and should be in every conversation about winning this year’s MVP (Hart Memorial Trophy), which would be his fourth if it happens. Case in point, he is only playing better; he recorded a hat-trick against the Wild and has 35 goals on the season, good enough for best in the league.

The Caps next play at home on Tuesday, February 16th against the LA Kings.

Get your tickets to the games here.

Results

February 2, 2016: Panthers at Capitals – Loss (2-5)

February 4, 2016: Islanders at Capitals – Win (3-2)

February 6, 2016: Capitals at Devils – Win (3-2 SO)

February 7, 2016: Flyers at Capitals – Win (3-2)

February 9, 2016: Capitals at Predators – Win (5-3)

February 11, 2016: Capitals at Wild – Win (4-3)

February 13, 2016: Capitals at Stars – Loss (3-4)

February 1-February 14 Fortnightly Report Card: B+

2015-2016 Fortnightly Report Card Archive

Around Town: Pretty in Pink @ AMC Hoffman Center 22, 2/17/16

Around Town

Neal Keller

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February 15, 2016

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Around Town: Pretty in Pink @ AMC Hoffman Center 22, 2/17/16

Blane, Andie, and Duckie of “Pretty in Pink” (Photo courtesy Paramount Pictures)

Editor’s Note: To mark the 30th anniversary of the movie, a special viewing of John Hughes’ “Pretty in Pink” screened nationwide on Sunday, Feb. 14. You can see it also on Wednesday, Feb. 17, in DC metro at AMC Hoffman Center 22 (206 Swamp Fox Rd., Alexandria, Va.), with showtimes at 2pm and 7pm. Tickets are available online. Parklife DC contributor Neal Keller caught the film and shared some thoughts with us in this essay.

A Valentine for Andie

Among the things I could appreciate without hesitation was the soundtrack of now-classic 80’s New Wave tunes in “Pretty in Pink.” There were some misgivings nonetheless. While the film’s music credits were definitely a draw for nascent hipsters like myself back then, I’ll confess that I never liked the New Order song that debuted on the soundtrack. I always thought “Shellshock” was New Order by the numbers, and a sign that they were getting ready to sell out. Already a strike against the film, before it even hit the theaters!

But let’s talk about the notion of “selling out.” It’s an entirely teenage accusation that probably shouldn’t survive into adulthood. Nevertheless, the accusation was thrown at the character of Allison (Ally Sheedy) in “The Breakfast Club.” Allison forsakes her proto goth girl soul for a date with a member of the wrestling team. Well, if submitting to a makeover for the sake of the jock in “The Breakfast Club” counts as a transgression, then threadbare Andie’s leap to the other side of the tracks for the sake of a preppie rich kid in “Pretty in Pink” must rate as a mortal SIN.

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Around Town: Nerds in NoMa Speaker Series, 2/16/16

Around Town

Jeremy Bailey

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February 11, 2016

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Around Town: Nerds in NoMa Speaker Series, 2/16/16

Next Tuesday, February 16th, come out for the next session of the Nerds in NoMa Speaker Series.

The topic is “Who’s Art?”, a look at the process of making public art and making art public.

The session will be moderated by Jen DeMayo of Hill Rag. With the following panelists:

* Kriston Capps, CityLab
* Emily Arden Eakland, ReCreative Spaces
* Robin-Eve Jasper, NoMa BID
* Mazi Mutafa, Words, Beats & Life

They have free beer and popcorn!

Register for the free event here.

Future sessions
3/15 – Urban Adventure
4/19 – Capital Climate Change

Nerds in NoMa Speaker Series
Session 2 (of 4): Who’s Art?
The Lobby Project (1200 First Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002)
Tuesday, February 16
6:00-8:00pm
Free
All ages

Music Park: I Want My 9:30 TV @ Public Television, April 2016

Live Review

Mickey McCarter

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February 10, 2016

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Music Park: I Want My 9:30 TV @ Public Television, April 2016

A crowd watching a show at the 9:30 Club! (Photo courtesy 9:30 Club)

The 9:30 Club is launching its own television show on public television in April. The music variety show will be called “Live At 9:30,” and it will air nationwide, owners of the club said yesterday.

Situated now in the booming real estate subdivision known as “North End Shaw,” the 9:30 Club has won quite a few prominent accolades as the best concert venue in the United States. With the television show, everyone will be able to see exactly why that is so, and not just those of us who live, work, or travel to DC.

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