Reliable Rock Cures All

photo by John C Garofolo

Johnny Castle is another great player who has been hanging around this town for a long time. When he is not playing with DC's beloved Nighthawks, you can often find him Thursdays rocking with The Thrillbillys at the tiny Sunset Grille where the distance between the stage and the bar can be measured in (dancing) feet. Head off that deep pre winter end of daylight savings time seasonal depression and dose yourself with the Thrillbillys' cure this Thursday. The tireless Thrillbillys will also be on hand later this month to relieve that post Thanksgiving dare I say despondancy due to turkey/family togetherness overload- back at the Grille November 26.

Baby These are Serious Sounds

Tonight - Friday, October 30 - Ottley! Beatnik Flies and Puptent

When these folks get together to celebrate Phil's birthday, crazy things happen. These are three of the most amazing bands in DC, so I urge everyone to break the routine, get down to the Velvet Lounge and share the love.

That's all I have to say. Have a listen to the ultimate psychedelia of Ottley!, the pop-not-pop of Puptent and the serious sounds of the Beatnik Flies and see you there.

Lyn2

DC History Rocks

( 7th Street NW circa 1921)

Washington D.C. has seen its share of important events, and a lot of people have come here to make history, but not a single president was born here. Marvin Gaye was born here as was Duke Ellington, but they found their fame in places like Detroit and New York. I think the award for true Washingtonian has to go to Bob Berberich who was not only born in Washington, but the Berberich family has been here longer than anyone I know- including my own clan.
And Mr Berberich has been rocking this area for quite a while- his drumming days include gigs with The Hangmen and Grin. (Check out this link for a great little piece by local film maker Jeff Krulik) But Bob is still a powerful force on the music front and is now in the transfixing trio known as Ottley! with ex-Slickees' master of guitar, Marshall Keith and slayer singer, Martha Hull.

Be part of it. You can watch history in the making THIS FRIDAY night when the "Birthday of the Dead Celebration" takes place at the always intimate Velvet Lounge. The line up includes Ottley! as well as the venerable Beatnik Flies -a band with its own history and staying power around here- four musicians that can still deliver the goods and how. Plus Pup Tent will round out the bill bringing on more psychedelic garage band kind of brain-rock.

(Note to self and readers: Do I ever write about jazz or country or easy to label music?
Answer: No.)

Wake Up Washington

Photo by John Askew

You missed it. I know you missed it because only a handful of people made it to Iota last night, and that handful got an unforgettable show brought to us by an unbelievably good band.

I saw Susan Cowsill on a rainy evening some eight years ago in New Orleans. I remember it well because I really didn't want to go out that night, but after I saw the band, I didn't want to go home. (And thank you, Kiki for making it happen.) A lot of water has gone under the bridge since then- literally- and Susan and her band survived the Flood, and I don't use that term lightly. What happened to New Orleans and its people is a tragic story still unfolding and still mostly untold, but Susan has written songs that capture both the heavy grief and the absolute joy of that amazing city she calls home.

I didn't write about this show because this is not a DC band, but after last night, I think they qualify for the New Orleans Austin DC triangle I was talking about a couple of weeks ago-especially considering DC's adopted son and guitar ace, Bill Kirchen and long time native, Mark Noone ended up on stage.

My advice: Don't ever miss this band!

Friday's the Day for Mayhem by Lyn2

More on the spoken word now-the dictionary tells me that "mayhem" means "to maim" which makes me think that Friday's multi-band "Night of Mayhem" show at The Red and The Black will do you in. In a good way. It's four fine bands including Yell County, who draw their name from the place of my mom's birth. (I can't write about them without mentioning this.)

The line up is:

Yell County, previewing their new album!
Kung Fury (ex Vanity Champ, The Disenchanted, Aguchi)
King Giant (ex Blue Balls Deluxe, Jack Potential, The City Bleeds)
The Gerunds (ex Dag Nasty)

The mayhem starts at 9 pm at the Red and the Black at 1212 H Street NE, and DC's best fish sandwich is available for carryout around the corner at Horace & Dickie's.

Almost Homophone

They can sound the same- craven and craving, especially when the "g" is missing, but one is a yellow bellied, timid type dog and one is a canine with deep desires for something- be it a bone or space travel or music. DC's own Cravin' Dogs will be at Bangkok Blues in Falls Church come this Thursday with their one of kind, hard to put your finger on, rock, slightly folk, roots, pop, definitely eclectic sound. Come on out and
stay.
Sit.
Stay.
Good dog.

Speaking of Radio

A few weeks ago we did a post called Feast Your Ears mentioning Cerphe and the old much beloved WHFS. A few people were wondering about the call number being wrongly listed as 102.3 instead of 99.1.
It's the same station-it just moved. Total recall depends on how old you are and how close you lived to Bethesda back then when the signal could get lost driving down to Glen Echo. Also it helps to have old music cases lying around the house.