Parklife DC

Music Park: Lane 8 @ U Street Music Hall — 10/15/15

Live Review

Mickey McCarter

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October 19, 2015

Music Park: Lane 8 @ U Street Music Hall — 10/15/15

Lane 8 performs at the Spring Awakening Music Festival in Chicago on June 13, 2015 (Photo by Mary)

Deep house musician Lane 8 captivated a sold-out show at U Street Music Hall on Thursday night with his own house compositions and mixes of similar earworms from artists delivering complementary stately beats.

Lane 8 (born Daniel Goldstein) is an American ex-pat living in Germany with an affection for unhurried rhythms. He kicked off a DJ set shortly after midnight with his own “Undercover” featuring Matthew Dear. The sparkling synths of the song couples well with the hushed bluesy voice of Matthew Dear, who serves as vocalist for the number. The number drifts above the crowd in soothing, pleasing pulses.

The audience at U Street Music Hall fell into formation, facing Lane 8 from the DJ booth to the stage behind them, and several young dancers took the stage to express their approval with mannered, if occasionally frenetic, dancing.

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Don’t Miss: Dave Davies of The Kinks @ Howard Theatre, 10/20/15

Live Review

Mickey McCarter

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October 16, 2015

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Don’t Miss: Dave Davies of The Kinks @ Howard Theatre, 10/20/15

Dave Davies of The Kinks (Photo courtesy of the artist)

Dave Davies, the legendary lead guitarist and vocalist of The Kinks, has been a busy man lately. He released a solo album in 2013 (I Will Be Me) and another in 2014 (Rippin’ Up Time), and he toured in support of them all the while holding a lens to his past work, which defined guitars for a generation.

On his recent albums, Dave’s voice is distinctly recognizable, and while his guitar may play at a slower pace on occasion, his riffs are still unmistakably those of the man who formed the trendsetting ’60s band with his brother Ray. You very much hear the sound of “The British Invasion” in his songs today.

Watch a video, filmed by Dave’s son Martin, for “Through My Window” from Dave’s latest solo album on YouTube:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ZCapXOGDms]

Dave is bringing it all — his solo material and his remarkable songs from The Kinks — to a performance at the Howard Theatre on Tuesday, Oct. 20. It’s a rare DC opportunity to see a UK guitar legend in an intimate setting. A look at Dave’s recent US setlists suggest he’s been stacking his concerts heavily with songs by The Kinks, including “I’m Not Like Everybody Else,” “Where Have All the Good Times Gone,” “All Day and All of the Night,” and “You Really Got Me.”

Watch Dave play a bit of “You Really Got Me” live in a promo video for the 50th anniverary of The Kinks in 2014 on YouTube (from an upcoming documentary, Dave Davies Rock ‘n Roll Journey):

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wH9RaB0VmS4]

Tickets are available online.

Dave Davies of The Kinks
w/ Edward Rogers
Howard Theatre
Tuesday, Oct. 20
Show @730pm
$39.40-$65
All ages

Don’t Miss: Back to the 80s Show w/ Jessie’s Girl and Rob Base @ Howard Theatre, 10/16/15

Live Review

Mickey McCarter

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October 15, 2015

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Don’t Miss: Back to the 80s Show w/ Jessie’s Girl and Rob Base @ Howard Theatre, 10/16/15

Jenna O’Gara of Jessie’s Girl killing it at the Canal Room in New York City (Photo by Manish Gosalia)

If there’s one thing my old friends know about me, it’s that I like an ’80s dance party. (Check out my Parklife DC list of 80s parties if you want some evidence!)

And that’s one reason why I absolutely must check out a performance by New York City’s biggest ’80s cover band, Jessie’s Girl, who are visiting DC to perform at the Howard Theatre in a late show tomorrow night, Friday, Oct. 16.

And they are bringing along with them Rob Base, the hip hop artist perhaps best known for the ’80s hit “It Takes Two” with the late DJ E-Z Rock. In concert with Jessie’s Girl, Rob Base has performed his signature songs “It Takes Two” and “Joy & Pain” (…are like sunshine and rain)!

Watch Jessie’s Girl get a little new wave with their cover of “Take on Me” by A-ha on YouTube:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0vktzLKAP0]

And lest you make the mistake of thinking that Jessie’s Girl are heavy on flash and light on talent, watch this charming acoustic studio cover of “Time After Time” by Cyndi Lauper:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HB-cHlJxk2k]

Tickets are available online. This is a great opportunity for all of us to see this fun cover band in our own backyard. See you there for a totally awesome time!

Back to the 80s
Jessie’s Girl
Special Performance by Rob Base
Howard Theatre
Friday, Oct. 16
Show @10pm
$20
21+

Don’t Miss: GEMS (Opening for Autre Ne Veut) @ U Street Music Hall, 10/23/15

Live Review

Jeremy Bailey

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October 15, 2015

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GEMS

GEMS brings their ethereal, dream-pop sound to the U Street Music Hall on Friday, October 23rd. They open for Autre Ne Veut.

Lindsay Pitts and Clifford John Usher comprise GEMS. Currently based in LA, they are originally from DC.

Now they return to DC with their first full-length album, Kill the One You Love, set to be released on October 30th via Carpark Records. They previously released an EP, Medusa, in 2013.

Having had a chance to preview the album before its release date, it is easy to predict their upcoming show will be one to remember.

Their first single, “Living as a Ghost”, premiered via NPR, who said, “GEMS is that special group for me, a former hometown band about to be discovered by everyone else.”

“Living as a Ghost”
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Other songs currently available, “Soak” and “w/o u”, show off the dramatic, hopeful lyrics and melodies that define GEMS.

“Soak”
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/223829831″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”125″ iframe=”true” /]

GEMS has been compared to other bands like Beach House, the xx, Sleigh Bells and Purity Ring, but Stereogum says, they have planted “a flag in distinct territory of their own, a winsome mishmash of ‘90s pop/alt-rock/R&B sounds.”

Tickets are available here.

Pre-order the album, Kill the Ones You Love, via iTunes and Carpark Records.

GEMS (Opening for Autre Ne Veut)
w/ Mazed
U Street Music Hall
Friday, October 23
Doors @ 7:00pm
$15
All ages

“w/o u”
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Don’t Miss: Ben Folds w/ The National Symphony Orchestra @ The Kennedy Center, 12/4/15

Live Review

Mickey McCarter

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October 15, 2015

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Don’t Miss: Ben Folds w/ The National Symphony Orchestra @ The Kennedy Center, 12/4/15

Ben Folds (center) and the yMusic Ensemble (Photo courtesy Big Hassle)

Ben Folds has led an interesting musical career that defies stereotypes. Certainly, in the 20 years since he first collaborated with the Ben Folds Five, he’s become associated with chamber pop. And he continues to make interesting new strides in that area with his latest album, So There, released last month via New West Records.

For So There, Ben teamed up with the yMusic Ensemble, a classical music outfit in New York City, to produce a pop album built on a classical music foundation.

Watch Ben Folds and yMusic perform the title track to “So There” on CBS This Morning on Sept. 26, 2015:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3Z-bdMz6ps]

The new album also offers Ben’s Concerto for Piano and Orchestra in three movements. And that particular part of the album is apparently the basis for a unique concert performance as part of Ben’s current tour, as he is set to appear at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on Friday, Dec. 4, with the National Symphony Orchestra.

Ben premiered the Concerto for Piano and Orchestra in performance in March 2014 with the Nashville Symphony Orchestra to great acclaim.

Watch Ben Folds perform the Concerto for Piano and Orchestra with the Contemporary Youth Orchestra in Cleveland, Ohio, on June 2, 2014:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ok3ms-yWgfQ]

Ben is know for being an innovative composer and performer, and he’s certain to bring a few surprises to his DC show at the Kennedy Center. So don’t miss out on this intriguing concert opportunity! Tickets went on sale to the public a few weeks ago, and they are going fast.

Tickets are available online.

Ben Folds
w/ The National Symphony Orchestra
The Kennedy Center
Friday, Dec. 4
Show @9pm
$39
All ages

Around Town: REI Thingamajig @ Wunder Garten, 10/17/15

Around Town

Jeremy Bailey

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October 14, 2015

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Around Town: REI Thingamajig @ Wunder Garten, 10/17/15

The REI Community Space at Wunder Garten

This Saturday REI is hosting a community gear swap! Bring your used outdoor gear and buy/sell/barter/trade with other outdoor enthusiasts. Check out the details.

It will be held at the Wunder Garten beer garden in NoMa from 12-5pm, with live music, produced by Living Classrooms (they are behind the Kingman Island Bluegrass and Folk Festival). $2 of your $7 entrance fee goes to support Living Classrooms.

Music Lineup:
Hollertown (12pm)
Big Chimey (1:45pm)
Jonny Grave (3:30pm)

REI Thingamajig (Used Gear Swap and Beergarden Bluegrass)
REI Community Space at Wunder Garten (NoMa)
October 17, 2015
12:00-5:00pm
$7 entrance fee
All ages

Music Park: Electric Six @ Black Cat — 10/11/15

Live Review

Mickey McCarter

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October 14, 2015

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Music Park: Electric Six @ Black Cat — 10/11/15

Electric Six with Dick Valentine (left) (Photo by Frank Nash)

Much of the appeal of the Electric Six comes from the band’s desire to have fun and to make you dance by any music necessary.

And that sense of fun was on full display Sunday night at the Black Cat, where frontman Dick Valentine (born Tyler Spencer) and company absolutely packed the backstage beyond capacity. To be fair, the band originally were slated to play on the larger mainstage, but were moved backstage for some reason as the DC federal holiday weekend approached.

“The Electric Six were demoted!” Dick proclaimed early in the set. “Write to the Speaker of the House, whoever that may be, and have us remoted!”

I personally have never been in a more crowded show backstage, so I fully embrace Dick’s sentiment. At the end of the day, however, the Electric Six brought everything it had to bear in a genre-bending stampede of music that went from funk to punk to metal and even to country. It was a double-barrel shotgun blast of raucous dance music.

At a midpoint in the concert, Dick declared that it was time to break out the dance music, although 99 percent of the show consisted of dance music, as evidenced by an audience that was actively bopping and hopping. The declaration came as an intro to a medley of the band’s songs “Improper Dancing” and “(Who the Hell Just) Call My Phone,” one song from the band’s popular debut album Fire and another from their 2014 album Human Zoo.

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Don’t Miss: Matt Pond PA @ Rock and Roll Hotel, 10/14/15

Live Review

Jeremy Bailey

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October 13, 2015

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Matt Pond PA

Matt Pond PA comes to the Rock and Roll Hotel on Wednesday, October 14.

They are currently touring in support of their 10th full-length album, The State of Gold.

Listening to parts of their new album is my first real exposure to their work, which has been prolific. Sampling more of their music, it at times sounds like a dash of country (“Red Ankles”), a touch of Tom Petty (“Let Me Live”), a bit of folk (“Hearts and Minds”) and pieces of pop (“Take Me With You”).

“Take Me With You”

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Music Park: The Zombies @ Lincoln Theatre — 10/8/15

Live Review

Mickey McCarter

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October 12, 2015

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Music Park: The Zombies @ Lincoln Theatre — 10/8/15

Colin Blunstone (front) and Jim Rodford at The Muni Arts Centre, pontypridd, Wales, May 29, 2013 (Photo by Sean Rowe)

The Zombies had not played their song “I Want You Back Again” for a while but then they heard Tom Petty cover it.

The band then recalled what a good song it was, and they determined that they should revisit it in their live sets. This led them to record a new version of the song for their latest album, Still Got That Hunger, released Friday, Oct. 9, via Cherry Red Records.

“If it is good enough for Tom Petty, it is good enough for The Zombies,” quipped Colin Blunstone before a performance of the song at the Lincoln Theatre in DC on Thursday night. The band then launched into their new rendition of “I Want You Back Again,” a single the original band first released in 1965.

Colin sings very soulfully on the song, dedicated to a woman who should return to the lonely narrator. The Zombies cofounder Rod Argent plays some lonely blues piano and he spearheads a rather lovely musical interlude early in the song. Rod is a keyboard maestro who really gets into the zone during moments like that interlude, and it’s a pleasure to watch him behind the piano most of all.

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Don’t Miss: Electric Six @ Black Cat, 10/11/15

Live Review

Mickey McCarter

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October 9, 2015

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Don’t Miss: Electric Six @ Black Cat, 10/11/15

Electric Six (Photo by Chris Betea)

It’s a long holiday weekend in DC, and many of us have Monday off thanks to Columbus Day. In this case, what better way to spend your Sunday night than seeing a concert?

For our money, your best bet may be Detroit-based collective Electric Six, appearing at the Black Cat on Sunday, Oct. 11. Headed by Dick Valentine, the Electric Six are electric, eclectic, and loud! The official lineup of Electric Six today has only five members: Dick Valentine (vocals), Da Ve (guitar), Johnny Na$hinal (guitar), Tait Nucleus? (synths), and Percussion World (drums). They are still best known perhaps for their 2003 debut album, Fire, which spawned several hits in the United Kingdom — “Danger! High Voltage,” “Gay Bar,” and “Dance Commander.”

As you can see from those three songs alone, Electric Six have a unique way of traversing genres — going from the depths of hard rock to positively new wave. They keep the pace high with their 11th studio album, Bitch, Don’t Let Me Die!, released on Oct. 2 via Metropolis Records. They also stay absolutely quirky with song titles like “Slow Motion Man,” “When Cowboys File for Divorce,” and “Kids Are Evil.” If anything on this new album, Electric Six are more than ever crossing the hard rock lyrics of early AC/DC with the sweeping progressiveness of a middle-period Styx.

Electric Six don’t seem to have released a new music video in a while, so let’s revisit “Danger! High Voltage” and recall how damn catchy it is.

Watch the official video for “Danger! High Voltage” on YouTube:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-FxmoVM7X4]

Oh, hey, Baltimore, we see Electric Six had to cancel their show tonight at Metro Gallery due to a personal emergency. Come party with us on Sunday! Tickets are available online and at the door.

Electric Six
w/ Yip Deceiver
Black Cat
Sunday, Oct. 11
Doors @7:30pm
$15
All ages