Parklife DC

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August 14, 2015

Today’s DC Beer Week marquee event is DC Beer Week Takeover at High Velocity (4:00-11:00pm)

Here are three other Friday, August 14th, events that look interesting:

Rocky Mountain Hops: Colorado Beer Night at The Black Squirrel (5:00pm-2:00am)

Devil’s Backbone Brewing Company 24-Beer Tap Takeover at Meridian Pint (5:00-11:00pm)

Blind & Bitter at Scion (4:00-9:00pm)
25 Breweries | 25 Hoppy Beers Served Blind

For all events this week, visit: http://dcbeerweek.net/

Music Park: Culture Club @ Wolf Trap — 8/10/15

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August 13, 2015

Culture Club (Photo by Dean Stockings)

Boy George strode onto stage in an elaborate helmet and a black cloak.

The sparkling gold headpiece looked as if he might have nicked it from an expensive Hollywood production of the story of Cleopatra. He grinned mischievously at the audience at Wolf Trap.

“I had to wrestle Lady Gaga for this,” he said of the headpiece. “She lost. She’s backstage, crying, right now.”

With that, the cheeky singer set off into a performance of “Victims,” a show-stopping tune from his band Culture Club.

And it was absolutely thrilling. When the beat dropped in the song, as it famously does shortly after the 2-minute mark, the audience was completely enraptured by the ode to being a thrall to love. You could feel goosebumps.

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Around Town: DC Beer Week Events, 8/13/15

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August 13, 2015

Today’s DC Beer Week marquee event is ChurchKey’s DC Total Tap Takeover (4:00-11:00pm)
All the local DC breweries! 3 Stars, Atlas, Bluejacket, DC Brau, Hellbender and Right Proper

Here are three other Thursday, August 13th, events that look interesting:

Beer Geek Trivia and Brewer’s Tour at Port City Brewery (4:00-9:00pm; Trivia at 7:00pm; $15 for tour)

Atlas Brew Works Backyard Cook-Out at The Dew Drop Inn (5:00-10:00pm)

Bi-valves & Brews at Glens Garden Market (5:30-9:30pm)

For all events this week, visit: http://dcbeerweek.net/

Music Park: Kill the One You Love from GEMS, 10/30/15

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August 12, 2015

GEMS (Photo by Kristen Wrzesniewski)

Dreampop duo GEMS debuted a new single via All Songs Considered on NPR Monday, announcing the release of their first full-length album, Kill the One You Love, due out on Oct. 30 via Carpark Records.

The single, “Living as a Ghost,” is a soaring evocation of the search for fullfullment with sweeping synths countered by a slightly melancholy backbeat.

Listen to “Living as a Ghost” on Soundcloud:

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/218621253″ params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

Originally from DC, bandmates Lindsay Pitts and Clifford John Usher recently moved to Los Angeles. But they clearly kept some connections here, as evidenced by their upcoming release on DC-based Carpark. GEMS have not yet announced a tour, but we predict they return for a show sometime this year.

“Living as a Ghost” is “the culmination of a process that we in DC have watched. They are a twosome meant for each other, with Usher’s guitar and electronic production punctuating Pitts’ soaring, swirly shimmer,” said NPR’s Bob Boilen.

The album is available for preorder on Carpark Records’ website.

Around Town: DC Beer Week Events, 8/12/15

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August 12, 2015

A Summer Shout-Out to Stouts at The Black Squirrel (5:00-11:45pm)

Today’s DC Beer Week marquee event is RFD’s 3rd Annual Coast to Coast Tap Takeover (3:00-11:00pm)
$5 beers from 20 breweries around the country.

Here are three other Wednesday, August 12th, events that look interesting:

DC Brewery Q&A Panel at City Tap House (6:00-8:00pm)
Mike McGarvey (3 Stars), Ben Evans (Atlas Brew Works), Jeff Hancock (DC Brau), Josh Chapman (Bluejacket), and Patrick Mullane (Hellbender) will be on hand to answer questions.

#DCBEERBATTLE for Charity at Roofers Union (6:00-11:00pm)
Whichever keg of local DC beer kicks first, that brewery donates to the charity of their choice.

For all events this week, visit: http://dcbeerweek.net/

Around Town: DC Beer Week Events, 8/11/15

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August 11, 2015

Today’s DC Beer Week marquee event (Port City Brewing Company BEACH Party at the National Building Museum) is sold out, but don’t fret, there are still plenty of ways to drink beer!

Here are three Tuesday, August 11th, events that look interesting:

Devil’s Backbone Brewing Company Tap Takeover at Union Pub (5:00-10:00pm)

Sixpoint Brewery Tap Takeover at Glen’s Garden Market (5:30-9:30pm)

And if you want to learn something while you drink…

How Government Affects Your Beer at Bluejacket (6:00-8:00pm)

For all events today and this week, visit: http://dcbeerweek.net/

Don’t Miss: Switchfoot (Opening for Needtobreathe) @ Wolf Trap, 8/11/15

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August 10, 2015

Switchfoot (Photo courtesy of BB Gun Press)

Switchfoot, eponymous surfers, comes to the Filene Center at Wolf Trap on Tuesday, August 11.

They are among three bands opening for NEEDTOBREATHE. The other openers are Colony House and Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors.

Switchfoot, hailing from San Diego, achieved fame with their 2003 single “Meant to Live”. Largely marketed as a Christian rock band early in their career, they have released nine full-length albums to date. Their most recent is 2014’s album, Fading West.

Formed in 1996, Switchfoot’s name comes from the act of a surfer switching their feet to change directions.

Their other major hit, “Dare You to Move”, was featured in the film, A Walk to Remember.

Jon Foreman (lead vocals) also has a solo project coming out this year, called The Wonderlands. It consists of four EPs, titled Sunlight, Shadows, Darkness and Dawn respectively and each released throughout the year. Sunlight and Shadows have already been released and are available for purchase.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXcrEVFZOXs]”Meant to Live”

Tickets are still available! Get yours here.

Switchfoot (opening for NEEDTOBREATHE)
w/ Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors and Colony House
Filene Center at Wolf Trap
Tuesday, August 11
Gates @ 7:00pm
$25-45
All ages

Music Park: Parklife DC Guide to ’80s Parties, August 2015

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August 10, 2015

Earlier this year, DC9 kindly hosted me for Synchronicity: A New Wave Party, where I celebrated 30 years since the commercial peak of new wave music.

Well, you wouldn’t know it had been so long judging from the number of parties celebrating the 1980s in DC this month! Almost all of these parties are ongoing affairs, enabling you to get your monthly fix of what some call ‘80s music every month.

Fire up the DeLorean and jump back to the future with me at all of the good parties below.

Party: Poseurs’ 32nd Anniversary Video Dance Party Reunion

The Scene: Back in the actual ‘80s, the place to be for great new music and to soak up the new wave subculture was the club Poseurs (formerly at 3405 M St. NW, DC) in Georgetown. Sadly, it’s long closed, but principals involved with the club and many of its loyal club hoppers have instituted an annual reunion party. This year that party takes place at DC9 (1940 9th St. NW, DC) on Saturday with DJ Mohawk Adam and special guests Michael Scruggs, Wayne Skate Deavers and Michael Olsen.

Although technically a reunion night, the party is open to the public. All you need is a ticket! And what better way to spend an ‘80s party than to rub shoulders with a dedicated crew who have tales to share of partying with Robert Smith of The Cure or Peter Hook of New Order in their club back in the day? Expect to hear songs from The Cure, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Sisters of Mercy, Bauhaus, New Order, Billy Idol and more, more, more.

Your next chance to go: Saturday, August. 15, at 9pm. The Poseurs Anniversary Dance Party tentatively happens annually. Tickets cost $12, online or at the door.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ycl_ayPHU0]

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Don’t Miss: Ride @ 9:30 Club, 9/17/15

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August 7, 2015