Parklife DC

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July 23, 2015

A row of food trucks at the 2012 DC Curbside Cookoff (Photo by Alex Levine)

Hot Slap Tacos!

If you’ve been watching Food Network Star this season, you have encountered the phenomenon sparked by the team of Chefs Alex McCoy and Dom Tesoriero. In the last episode Sunday, the two paired together for a food truck challenge, and things got heated! But more on Hot Slap Tacos in a minute.

First, let’s recap the beginning of the episode. Food Network Star, Season 11, has featured Chef Alex from DC, and we’ve been cheering him on to win the competition. The last episode (#7) on Sunday, July 19, featured a challenge where contestants operated food trucks.

Prior to that, the six remaining contestants engaged in a smaller challenge, where Food Network Star host Bobby Flay directed the chefs to make a version of their favorite brunch, but to make it portable. The winner of this mini-challenge would get an advantage in the bigger challenge — a typical scenario in Food Network Star.

Music Park: Sharkmuffin @ Above the Bayou — 7/20/15

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July 22, 2015

Tarra Thiessen and Natalie Kirch of Sharkmuffin (Photo courtesy Girlie Action)

Along the 2500 block of Pennsylvania Ave. NW, several restaurants and bars catering to the local George Washington University crowd dot the street. On the north side, a New Orleans-themed place called the Bayou offers food and live music.

But to the left of the Bayou, you can open a door and walk into a residential building that seems a bit out of place for the upscale surroundings. It’s not exactly a tenement, and it’s not that you would feel unsafe there at all, but it’s odd.

I strode into the creaky building Monday night, walking past young adults eating edamame and drinking PBR along several flights of steps in order to climb to the top of the building for a visit to Above the Bayou, an apartment that has become a firm part of the DC DIY scene hosting “house concerts.” That night, the bill included DC bands Rom and Cool People and New York City bands Lost Boy ? and Sharkmuffin. I came specifically to see Sharkmuffin, a girl punk-inspired duo with some great surf guitar.

Ticket Giveaway: Faith No More @ Merriweather Post Pavilion, 8/2/15

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July 21, 2015

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Faith No More (Photo by Dustin Rabin)

In May, Faith No More released their first studio album in 18 years — Sol Invictus. The reconstituted band is touring in support of that album with a stop at the Merriweather Post Pavilion on Sunday, August 2, and Parklife DC is giving away a pair of tickets to the show!

For your chance to win these tickets, simply leave a comment on this post using a valid email address by 5pm on Friday, July 24. In your comment, share your favorite song by Faith No More! One entry per email address, please.

The San Francisco alt-metal band started work on the album after the successful tour, The Second Coming, which took them on the road for the first time in more than 10 years. Sol Invictus was recorded in an Oakland studio owned by Faith No More bassist Bill Gold and features the last lineup of the band including drummer Mike Bordin and keyboardist Roddy Bottum along with guitarist Jon Hudson and vocalist Mike Patton.

Watch Faith No More perform new song “Superhero” for the BBC Radio 1 Rock Show on July 12, 2015:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Z4YSJ8va4w]

Bill Gould points to the self-produced sound of the new record as reflecting that of the band’s early days. “Hypnotic and gothic, we’re coming back to where we were with our first album,” he said in a press release, “Siouxsie and the Banshees, Roxy Music. Then Patton’s being Patton, crooning, screaming, with a bit of soul underneath it all. We’ve always taken strange influences and smashed them together.”

We ‘80s kids might best remember “We Care a Lot” but Faith No More really hit the alternative charts a little later in the late ’80s and early ’90s with hits like “Epic,” “Midlife Crisis,” and “A Small Victory.”

For the rules of this giveaway–

Comments will be closed at 5pm on Friday and a winner will be randomly selected. The winner will be notified by email. The winner must respond to our email within 24 hours or they will forfeit their tickets and we will pick another winner. We will email you instructions on claiming your ticket.

If you don’t win, tickets are available online. Swedish hardcore quartet Refused open the show.

Faith No More
w/ Refused
Merriweather Post Pavilion
Columbia, Md.
Sunday, August 2
Doors @6:30pm
$40-55
All ages

Music Park: Free Song From Dot Dash (Touring Soon!)

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July 21, 2015

Dot Dash (Photo courtesy the band)

DC power pop quartet recently released their fourth album, Earthquakes & Tidal Waves, and they are giving away a free track to readers of Parklife DC.

Released in March, the album comes preceded some spring tour dates from vocalist and guitarist Terry Banks, guitarist Steve Hansgen, bassist Hunter Bennett, and drummer Danny Ingram. They plan to tour some more later this summer (see below for dates).

You can listen to and buy the full album, which sounds quite sunny and upbeat, from Bandcamp:

[bandcamp width=100% height=120 album=1914878428 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 tracklist=false artwork=small]
You also can directly listen to the single “Rainclouds” and download it as a free MP3:

[bandcamp width=100% height=120 album=1879233252 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 tracklist=false artwork=small]

Earthquakes & Tidal Waves was recorded in Kernersville, NC, and produced by Mitch Easter (R.E.M., Game Theory, Dinosaur Jr., Wilco). It was released by Canadian indie label The Beautiful Music.

Here’s what the Washington Post once said about the band:
“Everything we’ve ever read about Dot Dash plays up the group’s collective resume: Singer/guitarist Terry Banks was in St. Christopher and the Saturday People before teaming up with bassist Hunter Bennett in acclaimed indie-rock band Julie Ocean; guitarist Steve Hansgen played bass for hardcore legends Minor Threat and Government Issue, and then the mod group Modest Proposal; drummer Danny Ingram co-founded harDCore band Youth Brigade. Very impressive. But we’re more interested in the music, a retro cocktail that recalls the yearning indie-pop of Sarah Records; the ’80s neo-Byrds jangle of R.E.M., Orange Juice and other seminal college radio artists, and the tight, throbbing basslines and slashing guitars that evoke the Jam and the Clash.”

Catch them in concert at an upcoming show!

Dot Dash
Saturday, August 29
w/ The Fleshtones
Creative Alliance
Baltimore, Md.
Show @8pm
$12-18
All ages

Wednesday, Sept. 16
w/ Tommy Keene
Metro Gallery
Baltimore, Md.
Show @8:30pm
$12
All ages

Thursday, Sept. 17
w/ Tommy Keene
Bowery Electric
New York City
Show @8pm
$15
All ages

Friday, Sept. 18
w/ Tommy Keene
Iota
Arlington, Va.
Show @9pm
$15
All ages

Around Town: THE DAMNED: Don’t You Wish That We Were Dead @ Angelika Pop-Up, 8/12/15

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July 20, 2015

The Damned bassist Stu West and Captain Sensible in Japan, 2012. (Photo by Shiego Kikuchi)

Perennial U.K. punk rock favorites The Damned come by DC regularly to perform at the Black Cat. Well, now you can review nearly 40 years of the band’s history in an authorized documentary, “THE DAMNED: Don’t You Wish That We Were Dead,” which screens at the Angelika Pop-Up (Union Market, 550 Penn St. NE, DC) on Wednesday, August 12.

Anchored by vocalist Dave Vanian and guitarist Captain Sensible, The Damned certainly have weathered quite a bit since their first show on July 6, 1977, as they race toward their official 40th anniversary show at The Royal Albert Hall in May 2016. U.S. film screenings of the documentary officially begin July 28 in Southern California, and then the movie travels across the country, much like the band would were they on a tour.

Don’t Miss: Sharkmuffin @ Above the Bayou, 7/20/15

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July 20, 2015

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBnW5IDazOQ]
“First Date” by Sharkmuffin

The do-it-yourself scene for house concerts in DC has been exploding lately, bringing some good talent to town that we otherwise might not see so soon.

Case in point: Sharkmuffin, a female punk duo from Brooklyn, are coming by tonight to perform at Above the Bayou (2521 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, DC), the living space that is indeed above the Bayou (2519 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, DC), the New Orleans restaurant and bar at the border of Georgetown and Foggy Bottom.

Vocalist and guitarist Tarra Theissen and vocalist and bassist Natalie Kirch will bring their rapid-fire punk rock songs and surf guitars to DC tonight in the run-up to the release of their debut album, Chartreuse, due on August 7 via State Capital/Little Dickman Records. So far, they have released two Eps and a self-titled 7”. Check out the video above for the first single “First Date” from Chartreuse.

If you like what you hear from Sharkmuffin, check out their selections on Soundcloud and make plans to go to Above the Bayou for a free show tonight!

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/users/13044676″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”450″ iframe=”true” /]

NYC band Lost Boy? and DC trio Rom join Sharkmuffin tonight! No need to buy a ticket; simply come on down. (Donations of course are welcome for the bands.)

Sharkmuffin
w/ Lost Boy? and Rom
Above the Bayou
Monday, July 20
Doors @730pm
Free
All ages

Sports Park: The Nationals’ Homestand vs. the Dodgers and Mets, 7/17-7/22/15

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Jeremy Bailey

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July 16, 2015

The Nationals look to win the NL East

Major League Baseball’s All-Star break is over. Now back to reality and the second half of the season.

The Nationals are poised for a run at the NL East Division title. Let’s do this!

The Nats play the Dodgers and Mets over the next six days. They have a 2 game lead over the aforementioned Mets, so that will be a huge series.

This Sunday is Star Wars Day.

Come cheer for your Nats.

For game tickets and more information, call 202.675.NATS(6287) or visit nationals.com/tickets.

Friday, July 17 vs. Los Angeles Dodgers

Enjoy Spanish-inspired sandwiches and seasonal soups from Pepe Food Truck by José Andrés at Nationals Park. On Friday and Sunday, the truck will be stationed inside the ballpark near the Right Field Gate.

Saturday, July 18 vs. Los Angeles Dodgers

Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Brownies, Cub Scouts, Daisies, Eagle Scouts and other groups are invited to Nationals Park for the third Scout Day event of the season. Groups will participate in a parade on the field before the game. For more: nationals.com/groups.
As fans enter the ballpark, Peet’s Coffee will provide complimentary samples of Peet’s Iced Coffee outside Center Field Gate on N Street SE. Available while supplies last.

Sunday, July 19 vs. Los Angeles Dodgers

Join the first-ever STAR WARS™ Day at Nationals Park. The first 25,000 fans to enter through ALL GATES will receive a Washington Nationals edition R2-D2 Can Cooler, courtesy of ThinkGeek. Fans can enjoy special menu items, entertainment and STAR WARS™ characters roaming the ballpark. DJs will be in Center Field Plaza and Miller Lite Scoreboard Walk, spinning music from the movies. In addition, there will be several STAR WARS™ activation stations on the concourse, each with characters and photo backdrops to create lasting memories of the day. Come dressed in your favorite Star Wars attire. However, adults are not allowed to wear masks that cover their face. Young children under the age of 10 can wear masks when accompanied by an adult 21 years or older. Any props resembling weapons will not be allowed into Nationals Park (this includes lightsabers and toy guns).

Food Park: Alex McCoy @ Food Network Star — 7/12/15 (S. 11, Ep. 6)

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July 15, 2015

Kerry Washington, Craig Robinson, and David Alan Grier, right, sit down for a meal in PEEPLES. David Alan Grier hosted the last episode of Food Network Star. (Photo by Nicole Rivelli)

Man, last week was a rough week for DC contestants participating in Food Network Star!

Chefs Alex McCoy and Emilia Cirker gave us little to feel good about, despite laughs from bona fide movie star David Alan Grier, who showed up to serve as guest host for a reality show challenge.

The latest episode of Food Network Star, “Improv,” saw the worst performance by Alex to date, although he continued to make some really tasty food. And Emilia finally got bumped from the program. Although there were still a few weaker contestants overall, she delivered a terrible second-act performance that sealed her exit.

We’ll recap that later. First, the remaining seven contestants faced off in an opening pizza challenge last Sunday. Under the guidance of guest judge Pastry Chef Duff Goldman, the contestants competed to impress Darin Harris, CEO of CiCi’s Pizza, with a pizza featuring “kicked up flavors.”

Music Park: Mourn @ DC9 — 7/13/15

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July 14, 2015

Mourn (Photo courtesy Captured Tracks)

Yes, Mourn are very young.

Much already has been made of the fact that three members of the alt-rock band from Barcelona are only 18 years old. The fourth member? Only 15 years old.

But their capabilities defy their age when they take the stage, as they did for a half-full room at DC9 on Monday night. Vocalists Carla Pérez Fas and Jazz Rodríguez Bueno front the band with guitars, and it’s said they take inspiration from PJ Harvey and Patti Smith. But to listen to the resplendent sound of their playing, you might believe them to be the progeny of the New York City 70s punk sound pioneered by Television.

Mourn also enjoy songs that are direct and to the point, meaning they often clock in at under 3 minutes. They are touring in support of their self-titled debut album, which contains the single “Gertrudis, Get Through This!” Mourn released the official video for “Gertrudis” yesterday, and it features a black and white video of the band in performance.