Parklife DC

The Joy Formidable (Photo courtesy of Big Hassle Media; Photo credit: James Minchin)

I’m sure Welsh people are brilliant at many things, but one thing I can definitively add to that list is swearing. Ever so casually. Rhiannon “Ritzy” Bryan, lead singer of The Joy Formidable, gave the 9:30 Club crowd an epic glimpse of that brilliance during their show on April 13th.

One of the first, of many, things she told the mostly packed audience was that “the acoustics are f*cking lovely”. Or when she mentioned she used to live in DC years ago, “it was f*cking great.” Just a wee bit of flair that soon proved to be the norm. And when describing why they loved playing at the 9:30 Club, “They brought us cupcakes and dog biscuits. F*cking dog biscuits!”

The Joy Formidable, who also include Matthew James Thomas on the drums and Rhydian Dafydd on bass, are touring for their third studio album, Hitch.

Music Park: The Dandy Warhols @ 9:30 Club — 4/17/16

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April 19, 2016

Courtney Taylor-Taylor performs at the 9:30 Club on April 17, 2016. (Photo by Mickey McCarter)

“Music says it better than words,” said Courtney Taylor-Taylor on Sunday night by way of an explanation as to why he wasn’t feeling very chatty during his band’s show at the 9:30 Club.

The very full club yelped in agreement, and Courtney returned to vocal duties for The Dandy Warhols, who were touring on the strength of a ninth studio album, Distortland, released April 8 via Dine Alone Records. After some slight experimentation in their last album, This Machine, The Dandys return to form on the new record, which suited them and the audience just fine. The Dandy Warhols occupy a very unique space as a psychedelic band wrapped in a grunge aesthetic. Make no mistake, however: They are a great live band and their laidback guitar jams are a highlight of the show.

Don’t Miss: Cyndi Lauper @ Wolf Trap, 6/1/16

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April 18, 2016

Cyndi Lauper (Photo by Chapman Baehler)

We collectively remember Ms. Cyndi Lauper for reminding us that “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun,” but the fiesty pop chanteuse has been busy with a diverse range of projects lately.

As you may know, she wrote lyrics for a popular Broadway play, Kinky Boots, which will tour locally at the Kennedy Center for a month of dates in June-July. But Cyndi herself will be visiting us at Wolf Trap on June 1 as part of a 19-date tour she will launch soon in support of her new album, Detour.

Detour, scheduled for release May 6 via Sire Records, delivers 12 tracks of classic country covers in Cyndi’s unique style. When she announced the album earlier this year, she released her cover of Harlan Howard’s “Heartaches by the Number,” and she followed that up with her cover of Wanda Jackson’s “Funnel of Love.”

Watch the official music video for “Funnel of Love” by Cyndi Lauper on YouTube:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QetLDJRDVq0]

Cyndi’s live Detour show also will feature two classic Patsy Cline songs, “Walkin’ After Midnight” and “I Fall To Pieces.” Other fun songs on the album include a cover of Dolly Parton’s “Hard Candy Christmas” and Willie Nelson’s “Night Life,” a track on which he actually guest stars on the album. I’m sure Cyndi will also treat us to a classic track or two from her days on the charts in the ‘80s if we ask her kindly.

As if that weren’t appealing enough, Cyndi is appearing at Wolf Trap in a double bill with Boy George, who visited us last year with his band Culture Club. And now the bad news: the show is sold out! Perhaps you can scour official resale sites for your chance to go locally, or check out Cyndi’s full tour schedule to see if there is another show near you.

Cyndi Lauper and Boy George
Filene Center at Wolf Trap
Wednesday, June 1
Show @8pm
Sold out
All ages

Music Park: Bleached @ DC9 -4/13/16

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April 18, 2016

Bleached perform at DC9 on Wednesday, April 13, 2016. (Photo by Mickey McCarter)

The ladies of Bleached brought some resplendent guitars and a devil-may-care attitude to DC9 last Wednesday in support of a punchy sophomore album, Welcome the Worms.

Jennifer Clavin sings and plays guitar with a bright vitality that often covers up a subversive lyrical streak. Early in the band’s set, Jennifer sings “Keep On Keepin’ On,” ostensibly a new song about powering through a challenge, but the narrator’s challenge is forgetting the past and the mistakes she’s made so that she can hook up with the guy she desires.

Lost love is a recurring theme in the songs of Bleached, and although it comes up quite a bit on the new album, the band also sang a lot of broken hearts and missing partners on its debut album, Ride Your Heart, from 2013. Songs like “Searching Through the Past” and “Waiting by the Telephone” from the debut album concern themselves with that absent mate but also offer up rollickin’ guitars in a sunny, punky stampede of strings.

Don’t Miss: Porch Fest 2016 @ Rhode Island Ave NE, 4/16/16

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April 15, 2016

The French Admirals

Our friends The French Admirals (vocalist Rob France and bassist The Admiral) reminded us that Porch Fest 2016 is tomorrow, Saturday, April 16, along the “Main Street” of Rhode Island Ave. NE in DC.

The French Admirals themselves perform at 3pm at Public Option (1601 Rhode Island Ave. NE, DC).

“This should be a great event with over 40 bands and performances throughout the neighborhood followed by a post-party back at Public Option at 6pm. If you’re in town, don’t miss it!” said The French Admirals.

Porch Fest occurs along a number of local porches and stoops in addition to some venues like Public Option. It covers an afternoon of music, dance, and poetry in a casual environment. And it’s free to all.

“Through the years, Rhode Island Ave. NE has been home to a variety of live music venues, including what was once Mr. Y’s Jazz Club at 16th and Rhode Island Ave. NE. On Saturday, April 16, 2016, from 2 to 6 pm, the front stoops and porches of several Rhode Island Avenue NE residents and businesses will be transformed into performance spaces where local musicians will play FREE mini concerts for the community!” said Porch Fest organizers.

The event is rain or shine!

Porch Fest released a few handy graphics to help us navigate the street festival, including a map and a schedule card.

Porch Fest 2016 map:

Porch Fest 2016 schedule card:

Other artists performing include: Handsome Hound, Craig Donovan, Drive TFC, Allie & The Side Hustle, Kevin Titty, The Dolly Rockers, Friends, The GLEs, Simone Finally, The Cliffs, The Galaxy Electric, Oh He Dead, Bellwether Bayou, Talya Tavor, Violin Femmes w/ live art by Erica Wang, The Anti-Social Collective, Katharine Key, Bele Bele Rhythm Collective, Petunia, Paul Santori’s Random Opponent, Trees., The Boundary Stones, Moose Jaw, Carlos Martin Vizcarra (Shooting Down Asteroids), Accidental Ghost, Dope Francis, Sweater Weather, Higher Numbers, The Goodly Beggars, Our Kansas, Ballad’ve, Kellyn Marie Goler, Dale Holmes, Woody Talley, The Mild Thornberries, The PanTones, The Foggy Bottom Whomp-Stompers, We Wanted To Be The Sky, and DJ Fusion (FuseBox Radio Broadcast).

Porch Fest is made possible thanks to support from ZipCar, Cultural Tourism DC, DC Department of Small and Local Business Development, and Department of Housing and Community Development! For more info, visit Rhode Island Ave. Main Street’s website at http://riamainstreet.org/events/porch-fest-2016/.

Porch Fest 2016
Rhode Island Ave. NE Main Street, various addresses
Saturday, April 16
Showtimes: 2-6pm
Free!
All ages

Snapshots: No Parents @ DC9 — 4/13/16

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April 15, 2016

Zoe Reign fronts No Parents at DC9 on Wednesday, April 13, 2016. (Photo by Mickey McCarter)

Readers of L.A. Weekly voted No Parents as “Best Band” of 2015! And the goofy skate punks, who opened for Bleached at DC9 on Wednesday night, sure have a way with words.

“No Parents are like a John Hughes movie starring the Menendez brothers: a cute comedy loaded with violence and splattered adults. For the layman who reads about punk rock in fashion mags, they’re the next FIDLAR — the new torchbearers of skate-punk,” said L.A. Weekly.

No Parents are four men strong, although there were five of them at DC9. An additional touring guitarist perhaps?

Around Town: Final Nerds in NoMa Speaker Series, 4/19/16

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Jeremy Bailey

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April 15, 2016

Next Tuesday, Apri 19th, come out for the fourth and final session of the Nerds in NoMa Speaker Series.

The topic is ‘Climate Change’, a look at how DC is addressing issues related to climate change, all while having some free beer, wine and popcorn.

It will be moderated by Tommy Wells, Director of Department of Energy & Enviroment

With the following panelists:

Harriet Tregoning, Deputy Assistant Secretary, US Department of Housing and Urban Development
Angela Fritz, Deputy Weather Editor, Capital Weather Gang
Dave Good, Manager, Energy and Sustainability, Gallaudet University

Register for the free event here.

Nerds in NoMa Speaker Series
Session 4 (of 4): Climate Change
The Lobby Project (1200 First Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002)
Tuesday, April 19
6:00-8:00pm
Free
All ages

I went to the session on March 15th, on “Urban Adventures”. Here is what I learned:

Music Park: The Subways @ Rock and Roll Hotel — 4/12/16

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April 15, 2016

The Subways perform at the Rock and Roll Hotel on Tuesday, April 12, 2016. (Photo by Mickey McCarter)

Billy Lunn had a friend who lost his job at an underwear factory in Essex, England. To cheer his friend up, Billy and other friends took the unemployed chap out to an awesome ‘80s pub called Billie Jean’s. (Billy informed his audience that Billy Jean’s has since sadly closed.)

As the night wore on, the unemployed friend began to feel down because his friends were being too generous. He didn’t want to be a charity case! So although people were having a good time, the friend suggested he would retire for the night, play ‘80s music at home, and break out some video games.

To his pleasant surprise, his friends agreed to go with him, leading him to declare, “We don’t need money to have a good time!” Seized by inspiration, Billy agreed with this sentiment but rushed home to write a song — titled “We Don’t Need Money to Have a Good Time” — which ended up on the third album by his band The Subways — Money and Celebrity — in 2011.

Food Park: Return of Truckaroo @ Fairgrounds, 4/15/16

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Jeremy Bailey

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April 14, 2016