Song of the Day: “Finger Pies” by Anika

Posted on 04/29/2021 by Parklifer in Preview and tagged Anika, Berlin, Germany, psychedelic, Song of the Day.

Anika (Photo by Sven Gutjahr)

Anika — the project of Berlin-based musician Annika Henderson who is also a founding member of Exploded View — announces signing to Sacred Bones and returns with a new single/video, “Finger Pies.”

Song of the Day: “Cellophane Skin” by Laura Carbone

Posted on 12/09/2020 by Parklifer in Preview and tagged Berlin, Germany, Laura Carbone, noise pop, Song of the Day.

Laura Carbone (Photo by Thomas von der Heiden)

Berlin-based dark pop-rock songstress Laura Carbone released her third album, Laura Carbone – Live at Rockpalast on Dec. 4. The live recorded album was mixed by Scott von Ryper from The Jesus and Mary Chain and mastered by Phillip Wesling at Original Mastering in Hamburg, with no overdubs whatsoever, and reflects Laura’s unique brand of “Noisy Dreamadelica.”

After releasing the album’s lead single, Laura now follows up with “Cellophane Skin,” an empowering confession of sensitivity and a powerful statement on self-nurturing and on releasing rage and anger.

Best of the Year: Top 10 Concerts of 2019 by Mickey

Posted on 12/19/2019 by Mickey McCarter in Live Review and tagged 9:30 Club, Air Supply, Berlin, Best of 2019, best of the year, Bryan Ferry, City Winery, Ex Hex, Fontaines DC, Metric, MGM National Harbor, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, Robyn, Terri Nunn, The Anthem, The B-52s, The Birchmere, The Church, The Fillmore Silver Spring, The Fleshtones, The Struts, U Street Music Hall.

Mickey McCarter was *thrilled* to see the classic lineup of Berlin reunite. (Photo by Jason Nicholson)

Editor’s Note: This year, we asked our bloggers to name their Top 10 shows of 2019 or choose their Top 10 photos of the year. We will run them over the course of mid-December as our Best of the Year posts.

Many of our bloggers work as one-man bands. They travel to a show, shoot it, and write it up. But as Parklife DC editor, I frequently work in collaboration with others. And so I have the opportunity to travel to shows I might otherwise not see in support of bloggers who are there to shoot (usually) or write (occasionally) about the program.

Ticket Giveaway: Alice Merton @ 9:30 Club, 11/19/19

Posted on 11/13/2019 by Parklifer in Preview and tagged 9:30 Club, Alice Merton, Berlin, electropop, free tickets, Germany, ticket giveaway.

Alice Merton (Photo by Danny Jungslund)

German electropop sensation Alice Merton recently released an expanded edition of her hit album MINT, and she’s hitting the United States for a few select dates. She performs at 9:30 Club on Tuesday, Nov. 19, and you can win tickets to go with Parklife DC.

Live Review: The B-52s w/ OMD and Berlin @ The Anthem — 9/17/19

Posted on 09/20/2019 by Jason Nicholson "Le Mouton Flâneur" in Live Review and tagged Berlin, new wave, OMD, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, post-punk, synthpop, The Anthem, The B-52s.

The B-52s perform at The Anthem on Sept. 17, 2019. (Photos by Jason Nicholson; Words by Mickey McCarter)

“Forty years ago, we used to stay up all night and drink coffee to make big plans about the future,” said Kate Pierson of The B-52s. “We called ourselves the Deadbeat Club.” With that, the band launched into the song bearing the title “Deadbeat Club” from 1989’s Cosmic Thing in the middle of their concert at The Anthem recently.

Touring on a 40th band anniversary, which coincides with Cosmic Thing’s 30th anniversary, The B-52s could have stuck to that sunny album of earworms and pleased the bustling crowd at The Anthem. But delightfully, The B-52s took the opportunity to celebrate their entire career with the anniversary show, and played selections both familiar and quirky from across six of their seven studio albums.

Joined by openers Berlin, the California new wave collective, and English synthpop quartet Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, The B-52s tour proved consistently entertainingly and downright beguiling while turning The Anthem into a nonstop dance party.

Preview: The B-52s @ The Anthem, 9/17/19

Posted on 09/11/2019 by Parklifer in Preview and tagged Berlin, Georgia, new wave, OMD, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, post-punk, The Anthem, The B-52s.

The B-52s (Photo by Pieter M. van Hattem)

The B-52s are traveling on a 2019 world tour to celebrate the 40 years since their self-titled debut album, heading to The Anthem on Tuesday, Sept. 17 before wrapping up on Sept. 24 in New York.

Accompanying The B-52s are California new wavers Berlin, with all three classic members reunited, and English synthpoppers Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark. This is the show of the month if not the year!

Interview: Terri Nunn of Berlin (@ The Anthem, 9/17/19)

Posted on 05/20/2019 by Mickey McCarter in Interview, Preview and tagged Berlin, California, Interview, new wave, post-punk, Terri Nunn, The Anthem, The B-52s.

Terri Nunn (Photo courtesy Mint Artist Management)

Berlin, the California-based new wave collective, recruited Terri Nunn as lead singer in 1979, and so the band is celebrating 40 years of making music this year. Over the decades, however, Berlin continued with Terri’s undeniably alluring vocals, while the *classic* lineup of the band only ever made three records together — Pleasure Victim (1982), Love Life (1984), and Count Three & Pray (1986). But what three marvelous albums!

Today, Terri has reunited with her classic bandmates, John Crawford and David Diamond. Berlin recorded a new album, Transcendence, released on Aug. 2. Now, Berlin open for The B-52s on a farewell tour, including a stop at The Anthem on Tuesday, Sept. 17.

Parklife DC’s Mickey McCarter recently chatted with Terri Nunn about working with John Crawford and David Diamond again, the upcoming megatour, and being a female musician, among other things.

Don’t Miss: Careless Memories @ Dodge City, 9/13/18

Posted on 09/10/2018 by Mickey McCarter in Live Review and tagged A Flock of Seagulls, Animotion, Berlin, Bow Wow Wow, Careless Memories, dj party, Dodge City, Farrington and Mann, Gene Loves Jezebel, Missing Persons, Naked Eyes, new wave, Wang Chung, When in Rome.

Careless Memories celebrates Animotion and other artists on Sept. 13 at Dodge City!

Ever yearn to hear that one song by that one artist over a beer? We’ve got you covered with our next edition of Careless Memories, as we celebrate “Lost ‘80s” hits at Dodge City on Thursday, Sept. 13.

Inspired by the Lost ‘80s tour coming to Warner Theatre later this month, Careless Memories will explore the timeless of a crop of new wave artists that crafted irresistible earworms for which they will forever be known with the likes of A Flock of Seagulls and “I Ran (So Far Away),” Animotion and “Obsession,” Wang Chung and “Everybody Have Fun Tonight,” and more more more.

Music Park: Agnes Obel @ 9:30 Club — 3/7/17

Posted on 03/11/2017 by Mickey McCarter in Live Review and tagged 9:30 Club, Agnes Obel, Berlin, classical, folk.

Agnes Obel performs at 9:30 Club on March 7, 2017.

Anges Obel played songs at turns crystalline, absorbing, and resplendent in an appearance at 9:30 Club on Tuesday. The Danish-born resident of Berlin passed through DC as part of her biggest US tour yet on the heels of her third album, Citizen of Glass, released late last year via Play It Again Sam.

Don’t Miss: Giorgio Moroder @ 9:30 Club, 5/12/17

Posted on 03/09/2017 by Mickey McCarter in Live Review and tagged 9:30 Club, Berlin, Blondie, Daft Punk, disco, Donna Summer, Giorgio Moroder, house, italo disco, Italy, new wave, Phil Oakey.

Giorgio Moroder performs at HARD Day of the Dead in Los Angeles on Nov. 3, 2013. (Photo by Gabriel Olsen)

His collaborations as producer for Donna Summer upended not only disco but nearly every pop music genre that followed. He is a surfer of the new wave, the head of the house, and the lord of italo disco.

He’s Giorgio Moroder, and he’s spinning at 9:30 Club on Friday, May 12.