Poll: 2020 Thrushie Awards — Results!

Posted on 12/14/2020 by Parklifer in Around Town and tagged 9:30 Club, awards program, best of dc, best of the year, Broke Royals, Foreign Air, Karen Jonas, Lauren Calve, Pie Shop, The Birchmere, Thrushie Awards.

Pie Shop DC (Photo by Aiden Korotkin)

Parklife DC today announces the best in DC concerts with our annual awards program, named for our mascot, DC’s own state bird — the Wood Thrush. Our Thrushie Awards salute bands and venues in line with our mission to review live music concerts.

Poll: Who Is the Best Local Band in DC?

Posted on 11/30/2020 by Parklifer in Around Town and tagged Beauty Pill, best of the year, Broke Royals, Elizabeth II, Eric Hilton, Foreign Air, Karen Jonas, Lauren Calve, Thrushie Awards.

Guitar! (Photo by Duane Storey)

Welcome to the 2020 Thrushie Awards!

Parklife DC will name the DC best local band — or performer — of the year with your input. Local bands include those who live in the National Capital Region and issuing new material this year (livestreaming during the coronavirus epidemic is a plus!). Learn more about each nominee by clicking on their name in keywords. Or name your own candidate!

Vote for the best music local band in the DC metro area now through Dec. 11.

Song of the Day: “Goldbrick Champion” by Broke Royals featuring Bartees Strange

Posted on 11/24/2020 by Parklifer in Local Spotlight, Preview and tagged Bartees Strange, Broke Royals, DC, heartland rock, Song of the Day.

Broke Royals (Photo courtesy the band)

Broke Royals is rewriting doubts. Turning negative self-talk into positive affirmations. Hokey as it sounds, the band was willing to try anything after the world, and their income stream, came to a grinding halt this year.

On “Goldbrick Champion,” the band is exalting its weaknesses to the tune of an ’80s-inspired slacker anthem. Propelled by a drum machine and an infectious bass groove, the DC band is spinning their insecurities into pop-rock gold.

Interview: Broke Royals (New Single: “U + Me + WWIII”)

Posted on 09/03/2020 by Mickey McCarter in Interview, Local Spotlight and tagged Broke Royals, DC, heartland rock, Interview, livestream.

Broke Royals (Photo courtesy the band)

DC heartland rockers Broke Royals release a new single, “U + Me + WWIII,” on Friday, Sept. 4. The song focuses on anxiety-related insomnia largely stemming from the political and social unrest facing the world today.

This track sprang from Broke Royals’ Alone, Together series where the band creates a new song every week. Season 1 of Alone, Together, a livestream chat and music series, wrapped on July 31 after 10 episodes and 10 accompanying new songs. Broke Royals launches Season 2 of Alone, Together on Sept. 18.

Parklife DC’s Mickey McCarter chatted with Philip Basnight and Colin Cross of Broke Royals in advance of the new single and upcoming livestream series for an inside look at the band’s creative process. And of course, Parklife DC readers named Broke Royals as the Best DC Band of 2018 in our inaugural Thrushie Awards, so you know the gents started out strong, and they are only getting better.

Preview: Broke Royals @ Pie Shop, 2/22/20

Posted on 02/14/2020 by Parklifer in Local Spotlight, Preview and tagged Broke Royals, DC, heartland rock, Pie Shop, power pop.

Broke Royals (Photo courtesy the band)

Broke Royals continue their creative streak with a release of a new single, “Love & Tatters,” from their 2019 album Saint Luxury. The DC heartland rockers perform at Pie Shop on Saturday, Feb. 22.

Poll: 2019 Thrushie Awards — Results!

Posted on 12/16/2019 by Mickey McCarter in Around Town and tagged 9:30 Club, Appaloosa Festival, best of the year, Black Cat, Broke Royals, HERAFest, Kingman Island Bluegrass and Folk Festival, Lightshow, Luna Honey, Pie Shop, Thrushie Awards.

Luna Honey (Photo courtesy Blight Records)

Congratulations to the 2019 Thrushie Awards winners, several of whom took their top spots from polling ran by Parklife DC over the first half of December.

Poll: What Is the Best Local Band in DC?

Posted on 12/05/2019 by Mickey McCarter in Around Town and tagged Bencoolen, best of the year, Broke Royals, Dom Flemons, Ex Hex, Lightshow, Luna Honey, Priests, SHAED, Thrushie Awards, Wale.

Welcome to the 2019 Thrushie Awards!

Parklife DC will name the DC best local band — or performer — of the year with your input. Vote for the best music local band in the DC metro area now through Dec. 12.

Live Review: Broke Royals @ DC9 — 8/16/19

Posted on 08/20/2019 by Ari Strauss in Live Review, Local Spotlight and tagged Broke Royals, DC, DC9, heartland rock, power pop, rock, Virginia.

Broke Royals frontman Philip Basnight performs at DC9, Aug. 16, 2019. (Photo by Ari Strauss/ aristrauss.com)

Broke Royals recently concluded an intensive 10-day tour with a hometown performance at DC9. The DC-based power-pop group, and winners of Parklife DC’s 2018 inaugural Thrushie Award for best local band, put in 12 performances across the Midwest and the Atlantic coast over 10 days, reaching as far as Milwaukee, to promote their new album, Saint Luxury.

Poll: 2018 Thrushie Awards — Results!

Posted on 12/05/2018 by Mickey McCarter in Live Review, Local Spotlight and tagged 9:30 Club, Appaloosa Festival, awards program, Bacchae, best of dc, best of the year, Broke Royals, City Winery, DC Rocks Music Festival, music festival, Pie Shop Bar, ShamrockFest, Sol Roots, The Anthem, Thrushie Awards.

Broke Royals

Parklife DC today announces the best in DC concerts with our inaugural awards program, named for our mascot, DC’s own state bird — the Wood Thrush. Our Thrushie Awards salute bands and venues in line with our mission to review live music concerts.

Congratulations to the 2018 Thrushie Awards winners, several of whom took their top spots from polling ran by Parklife DC over the last half of November.

Vote: What Is the Best in DC for 2018?

Posted on 11/26/2018 by Mickey McCarter in Around Town, Live Review and tagged 9:30 Club, All Things Go, All Things Go Fall Classic, awards program, Bacchae, Bat Fangs, best of dc, best of the year, Black Cat, Broke Royals, City Winery, DC Music Rocks, DC Music Rocks Festival, DC9, Funk Parade, Kingman Island, Kingman Island Bluegrass and Folk Festival, Loi Loi, Park Snakes, Pearl Street Warehouse, Priests, ShamrockFest, Sol Roots, The Anthem, Thrushie Awards, Tiny Cat Dark Music Festival, Union Stage.

A wood thrush! (Photo by Trish Gussler)

Parklife DC will honor DC bands and venues with our inaugural awards program, named for our new mascot, DC’s own state bird — the Wood Thrush. Our Thrushie Awards are inspired by our mission to review live music concerts.