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Music Park: Echo & the Bunnymen @ 9:30 Club — 9/9/16

By
Mickey McCarter
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Echo & The Bunnymen 01
Ian McCulloch sings at the 9:30 Club on Friday, Sept. 9, 2016. (Photo by Mickey McCarter)

“Yes!” exclaimed DJ Rick Taylor with his characteristic exuberance. “Echo & the Bunnymen are playing ‘Angels and Devils’ — this is a B-side that I’ve never before seen live!”

And so it was that Ian McCulloch and his band took up the rarely played song, originally the B-side to “Silver” from Ocean Rain, as Rick explained to me, recorded as an homage to the Velvet Underground by Echo & the Bunnymen during their Ocean Rain sessions. (And it was actually included on the 2008 remastered edition of the album.)

Ocean Rain, the fourth studio album by Echo & the Bunnymen in 1984, figured prominently into the set Friday night at the 9:30 Club as an overly crowded house clamored for every little bit of cool they could suck out of Ian, much as he sucked down cigarettes from in front of the drum kit right on stage. (Who, after all, was going to stop him from smoking during the show? He’s Ian Fuckin’ McCulloch.) Ian and his studious compatriot Will Sergeant, who focused intently on his guitar the entire show, obliged the overly sold-out house by generating the coolest damn sound, which wafted into the heads and hearts of their patrons.

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Music Park: Dinosaur Jr. @ 9:30 Club — 9/8/16

By
Corey Paterson
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Dinosaur Jr Live Concert @ Best Kept Secret Festival Hilvarenbeek by Kmeron-0135
J Mascis performs with Dinosaur Jr. at Best Kept Secret Festival on June 18, 2016. (Photo by Kmeron)

Dinosaur Jr. took the stage in front of a sold-out 9:30 Club on Thursday night. Two hours later, I sat in my car and could hardly hear anything over the ringing in my ears. This is not a bad thing (although I have rethought my stance on wearing ear-plugs) because it was a result of J Mascis’ roaring guitar solos!

J’s Jazzmaster screamed as Emmett Jefferson “Murph” Murphy III (drums) and Lou Barlow (bass) provided a heavy and steady rhythm foundation. I had read about J’s ability on the guitar and seeing it for myself backed up everything I read. It’s no surprise Rolling Stone ranked him 86th on their list of 100 greatest guitarists.

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Snapshots: Eskimeaux (and Basement) @ Rock and Roll Hotel — 9/7/16

By
kristiechua
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Eskimeaux6
Eskimeaux performs at the Rock and Roll Hotel on Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016. (Photo by Kristie Chua)

Gabrielle Smith, better known as Eskimeaux, visited the Rock and Roll Hotel in DC from Brooklyn last week to tour in support of a new EP, Year of the Rabbit (which is out this Friday).

Performing on Sept. 7, Eskimeaux presented songs like “Year of the Rabbit” — the title track of that EP — with air vocals and suprisingly resplendent guitars. The results remind me a bit of Scotland’s Camera Obscura, but Gabrielle sounds more consistently wistful and perhaps a touch more melancholy.

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Interview: Stephen Salisbury of GROVES (@ Strathmore Music Center, 9/11/16)

By
regardingtess
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Groves01
Groves (Photo by Chris Sullivan)

Three musicians. Two tracks. One relentless engineer.

A chance encounter is sometimes the only thing standing between center stage and obscurity. For an alt-rock trio hailing from the tiny town of Groves, Texas (population 16,144) attempting to make it big in the City of Angels, Courtney Ballard was that celestial savior -– if of course you believe in that sort of thing.

Groves does. In fact, they told Live Nation TV earlier this month in a tour diary that “taking that meeting was one of the best decisions they’ve made yet” in their career. That encounter has led to a tour with Culture Club that ends tonight at Strathmore Music Center in Bethesda, Maryland.

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Music Park: Sleigh Bells @ U Street Music Hall — 9/7/16

By
Jeremy Bailey
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_DSC0301_2Alexis Krauss of Sleigh Bells (Photo Credit: Molly Dauphin)

“It’s so loud, I can’t hear myself think!” boomed Alexis Krauss, lead singer of Sleigh Bells, during their sold out show at the U Street Music Hall on 9/7/16.

Sleigh Bells are back in full force. Their upcoming fourth album, Jessica Rabbit, releases in November. Yet, they only played three new songs, including “Hyper Dark”, which Alexis asked the crowd if they could practice playing for the first time live. Sure! “Hyper Dark” is a departure from the usual frenetic, fuzzy, distorted anthems they typically play. It leisurely builds to a chorus, “So, you like trouble, I think we have a problem”, where Alexis’ voice slowly and confidently burns over synth-laden beats. Played live, it’s hard not to love (and to stay still to). Thanks for practicing on us.

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Music Park: Howard Jones @ The Hamilton Live — 9/3/16

By
Mickey McCarter
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Howard Jones 27 Howard Jones performs at The Hamilton Live on Saturday, Sept. 3, 2016.

I didn’t see my first concert until I was an undergraduate at the University of Delaware in 1992, and that concert was a performance by Howard Jones! It was a busy time for Howard, who released a new album that year. As college kids, we were still consuming his last album, Cross That Line, which introduced two quintessential songs in Howard’s catalog — “The Prisoner” and “Everlasting Love,” both US top 40 hits.

So of course I was thrilled that Howard Jones performed both songs when he stopped at The Hamilton Live on Saturday, Sept. 3, continuing a mini-tour on the heels of wrapping up his summer travels with the Barenaked Ladies.

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Music Park: Ruby the Rabbitfoot @ 9:30 Club — 9/7/16

By
Neal Keller
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Ruby-by-NatalieNeal
Ruby the Rabbitfoot (Photo by Natalie Neal)

Ruby the Rabbitfoot stepped on to the 9:30 Club stage Wednesday night as the opener for Of Montreal, making a striking first impression in her bright blue and red bolero jacket and skirt. As she begins her set with the song “Second Wind,” Ruby’s splashy look and punkish peroxide locks contrast with the subtle introspective nature her sound.

Punctuated with tight electronic rhythms and bright sounding keyboard flourishes, Ruby the Rabbitfoot’s music is nevertheless moody and contemplative. Equally balanced between romantic optimism and cheeky cynicism, this is a sound suited to a Sunday afternoon journal writing session. Yes, it’s very pleasant, as the sunbeams cut through the curl of steam rising from her coffee mug, but the words she commits to the page nevertheless look back on a love affair that could have gone better.

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Don’t Miss: Band of Skulls @ Black Cat, 10/4/16

By
Jeremy Bailey
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Band of SkullsBand of Skulls (Photo Credit: Andy Cotterill)

The indie, blues rock band Band of Skulls returns to DC on Tuesday, October 4th to perform at the Black Cat.

They are touring for their latest album, By Default, their fourth album and first since 2014’s rocking Himalayan.

Band of Skulls originates from Southampton, England, and fall in step with the likes of The White Stripes and another UK counterpart, Royal Blood.

The band is Emma Richardson (vocals and bass), Russell Marsden (guitar and vocals) and Matt Hayward (drums).

I caught them at the 9:30 Club in 2014, and look forward to seeing them again. New songs like the riff happy “Bodies” and the upbeat “So Good” speak to mixing in a few new styles to their repertoire, even some that are more dance-like. Yet the classic sounds they rocked for us in previous albums remains evident in each track.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5r5-THZLI1M]

As we speak, I’m listening to the dulcet sounds of their masterly “Sweet Sour”.

Get your tickets today, before it’s too late!

Band of Skulls
w/ Mothers
Black Cat
Tuesday, October 4, 2016
Doors 7:30pm
$20
All ages

Around Town: Last Truckaroo of 2016 @ Fairgrounds, 9/16/16

By
Jeremy Bailey
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Truckaroo in DCTruckaroo 2016

Friday, September 16th is your last chance for Truckaroo this year!

The final entry of this monthly food truck festival takes place at the Fairgrounds near Nationals Park.

Get lunch or dinner or a snack or cold treats all day!

There is no Nationals game that day, but still plenty of excuses to get down there. For example, a few interesting food trucks I may consider, include Arepa Zone, Capital Chicken & Waffles (now I want some) and Popped! Republic (also craving popcorn). But there are plenty more options!

Truckaroo 2016 #6
Fairgrounds (M St and Half St SE) near the Nationals Park
Friday, September 16, 2016
11am-11pm
Free Admission (pay for food and beverages)
All ages

List of Food Trucks

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Music Park: Stronger Sex @ The Hamilton Live — 9/3/16

By
Mickey McCarter
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Stronger Sex 05 Stronger Sex perform at The Hamilton Live on Sept. 3, 2016.

The definition of fantastic? fan·tas·tic /fan’tastik/ [adj.] imaginative or fanciful; remote from reality.

Enter Johnny Fantastic, whose up-tempo electronic cabaret certainly fits his name — and in a good way. Let’s add to the mix Leah Gage (also of local band BRNDA), who stands beside Johnny on synthesizers and vocals, and you have a Fantastic Duo indeed in DC indie synth outfit Stronger Sex.

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