Make 2009 Count -Rock the Year Out All Week Long

Holidays tend to throw every one off schedule, but the week between Christmas and New Year's has always been a good one for goofing off, and if your New Year's resolution was to go out and have more fun this year- there's STILL time to make that happen right now starting with the Rosslyn Mountain Boys reunion Monday night at JVs in Falls Church.

The Rosslyn Mountain Boys used to be a household name around these parts many moons ago. You could see them live all over town or hear their songs on the radio. (WHFS, of course)
Nowadays the "boys" have gotten involved in other projects, but every blue moon or so they get back together and boy, do they rock. The last time I saw them it was great fun since these shows reunite the fans as well.

And on Tuesday night another don't miss reunion will be taking place at IOTA when The Rhodes Tavern Troubadours get back together with original member-guitar slayer, Dave Chappell. True Troubadour appearances are far and few between since they lost drummer Jack O' Dell to Bill Kirchen so this will be an extra special event. Plus Troubadours are opening for one of my new favorite bands- King Soul - an eight piece uber talented crew including two Troubadours- Jake Flack and Mark Noone- as well as extravagantly effervescent front man Tom Clifford whose personal mission is to make sure that everyone in the room has a blast.

So let's review-Monday and Tuesday you rock; Wednesday you rest. Thursday you do what you gotta do to say good bye to 2009. Then it's back to our regularly scheduled programming. If we don't see you out and about-happy 2010 from DC ROCKS.

A New Grinch

Friends,
 
I thought you'd be interested in this mail from the 9:30 Club and Merriweather Post on the Live Nation/Ticketmaster merger.
 
I remember when Bill Kirchen said "It's hard to make music in the money business."
 
Harry Rado
Little Red & the Renegades
Wash., DC
 
And from DC ROCKS: Here is a portion of the email for brevity's sake:


There’s a train wreck about to happen and consumer groups say YOU will be the victim if the two most powerful corporate interests in the live concert business get their way. But you can help stop the merger of Ticketmaster and Live Nation. The government needs to hear from music fans now. Tell the Department of Justice that you’re against these monopolies amassing illegal power over consumers, before it’s too late. antitrust.complaints@usdoj.gov

As a concertgoer you have already felt the pain, and if Ticketmaster and Live Nation get their way, it’ll get worse. In the last 12 years, since Live Nation and its predecessor started its widespread takeover of the concert industry, concert ticket prices have shot up 82% while the consumer price index has gone up just 17%*. We are concerned that if the two concert industry behemoths, Live Nation and Ticketmaster, are permitted to merge, the variety and quality of artists coming to local venues will be affected, and your costs could rise further and faster.

Something New - Prabir and Goldrush Monday-CANCELLED!

Last week we mourned the end of an era when Prabir and the Substitutes played their last show. As you recall, we noted we would be following these guys in their future projects, and the time is already here. Prabir's new one, Goldrush, will be at Galaxy Hut Monday night December 21 with local favorites the  Nunchucks. They call themselves the best band you never heard of, but DC ROCKS readers have heard them more than once being smarter than the average bear type rockers.

Lynn 2

(12-21 update:please note this show was cancelled due to SNOW.)

Snowbound with Slickee Boys

Thank you local film maker Jeff Krulik for bringing your camera to the  Slickee Boys show at Black Cat last summer. The bad news is this is the closest thing to a Slickees show anybody is going to get this year so check out Jeff's clip and put in your two cents on the 50 Year Olds Slam Dancing  concept. 

The only other recourse is to mark your calendars for December 29th at Iota when Slickee Boy Mark Noone will appear in the line up of both the Rhodes Tavern Troubadours Reunion Event (including Dave Chappell) and King Soul- eight fairly white boys doing solid Memphis stax.  

Makes Me Want to Shout

All the talent in this town past and present really does make me want to holler. There's a definite buzz around about Sunday night's "Still Screaming" show at the Black Cat - a reunion of the original lineup of the infamous Scream, joined by our own Rustbuckit and Dykstra from Lancaster PA.

Scream was a huge presence on the DC scene in the 80s and hasn't played together in about 15 years. But they're not just bringing a nostalgia trip. They've just recorded a 7 inch with Lee "Scratch" Perry and plan to play both old and new material. There's more in this AV Club interview with Peter Stahl.

As if that's not enough, Rustbuckit has been added to the show. As DC ROCKS readers know, these are the guys who are redefining "golden years,"and Boyd is threatening to include dancing girls in the band this time. An idle threat? You'll only know if you show up. I don't know Dykstra from Lancaster PA, but suspect there are no laggards on this bill. It sold out the Black Cat's Backstage quickly and has been moved to the Mainstage. Expect a capacity crowd and bring an unwrapped gift for Toys for Tots.

A note about our hometown's reaction to snow. While it can be annoying at times, it's also a good way to get ourselves a bit of a holiday and to slow down. By Sunday if you can get to a Metro you can get to the Black Cat on the Green Line.

Thanks to special DC ROCKS consultant Tom "DJ Tommy B" Berard for help on this post.

Lyn2

The Kids are Alright

THIS SHOW HAS BEEN POSTPONED. STAY TUNED FOR THE NEW DATE!

Photo courtesy of Tom Berard, who just happened to see
The Black Sparks in May and said "they rock!"

I'm going to the Bach to Rock band competition on Saturday at 9:30 Club to see my friend Ray Brown in two bands. Ray is in the 6th grade, and I've been watching him learn to play guitar for over 3 years. He's been honing his appreciation for rock and roll since he was about two years old. It probably started earlier. Ray will be playing bass in both the Bobblehead Boys and Black Sparks, scheduled to go on between 1:30 and 4 pm. That's right-this is a daytime show and features dozens of bands and well over a hundred young performers. There will be a wide variety of sounds; Black Sparks is a punk band and Bobblehead Boys do "family-friendly" covers according to Ray. A note for those in holiday mode: the coffee bar will be open!

We at DC ROCKS are proud that DC is truly an all-ages show.

Lyn2

Old Home Week

The unstoppable Bill Kirchen  calls this area home, but only when he's not out on the road terrorizing the rest of the country with his guitar. Bill has been around since those hazy days of Commander Cody and the Lost Planet Airmen, but he's still got the kind of energy that you see in kids and wish you could bottle. Catch Bill's Honky Tonk Holiday Show this Friday at Jammin Java in Virginia. $20

Also DC's own Eric Brace and his band Last Train Home- which has replanted itself in Nashville- will be faithfully back for their holiday shows at Iota all weekend long- Friday and Saturday nights as well as the Sunday matinee which is always a madhouse meet and greet for kids of all ages. $12

And if you need a quick break from the holiday madness- check out Eric's new song "Tranquility Base."

Some Enchanted Evening

Travel with me back to the summer of 2006. It's a Friday evening in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, and the lovely Mina Stanard and this writer are free as birds so we wander into the mecca of extreme brewing - Dogfish Head Pub- and sample the wares. Some bands are going to play, and since we have nabbed a seat at the bar, we decide to check them out. Hoots and Hellmouth out of Westchester, PA are a delight but we wonder if we want to stick around for the next band. Our decision is made when Mark Noone calls from the road; he's on his way to the beach and will join us. We might as well check out the second band since there are beers and specialty liquors we haven't tried yet. Mark arrives about one minute before the next band is to go on. Enter Prabir and the Substitutes. They sound intriguing. Then they sound really, really good. It took at least three minutes for all of us to fall head over heels smitten with their sounds. It was seven minutes before Mark threatened to kill the bass player so he could be in the band. (I think this was Adam at the time, and we stopped him.) ( And the very next night Lyn1 heard the CD that Mark snared at the show and was equally bowled over.)

Thus began a three year adventure wherein this young band from Richmond developed a healthy fan base in DC, including a bunch of people old enough to be their parents. (I'm just saying.) During the course of this epic journey, the band played a sold out 9:30 Club show with The Silver Beats, which led a tour with the Japanese Beatles cover band. They played at the annual Slickee Boys reunion at the Surf Club as well as numerous other venues and collected adoring fans from all around the Ground Zero music scene. One night at the Quarry House when the dancing got hot, I thought all the women were going to take off their shirts. Best of all, while the line-up changed a bit over the years, this fantastic powerpopbeatlesesquegarage band was made up of some of the nicest and most talented folks ever. Did I mention that they could ALL sing? It's going to be a little more boring around here, but at least I'll get my washing done.

Lyn2

Alas, Prabir and The Subs will be no more after their gig in Richmond this Saturday night. We will be watching for all your new projects. All at DC Rocks want to take this moment to say thank you for brightening the scene. Look for Prabir's (aka Lyn3) latest project to unfold at The Galaxy Hut later this month.

Lyn1 and Lyn2 for DC ROCKS

I Think It's About Food, or Maybe Wildlife?

There's a show at Chief Ike's at 1725 Columbia Road NW this Thursday night,
December 10, that I will go to because:

1. A guy I know is in one of the bands - Brown Chicken Brown Cow.

2. I looked up the origin of the apparently well-known phrase "Brown Chicken Brown Cow" and found things both interesting and disturbing, so now I am curious.

3. I asked him what the band was like and he said: "Peanut butter on toast with jam. Standard melted messy loud goodness." So then I thought food was involved.

4. The other bands are called Drunk Buddies and Savage Badger Vags. I have had some drunk buddies at various times and badgers are scary and peculiar animals.

Break out of your box and check it out.

Lyn2

REUNION ALERT NUMBER 2

It's "been awhile," but Washington's one and only Rosslyn Mountain Boys will be getting it together on December 28th at JVs. (Better get there on Dec 27th because this place will be packed in a heart beat!)

Troubadours Reunion Rock Alert

The Rhodes Tavern Troubadours will be at IOTA DECEMBER 29 with all four original members including local guitar guru, Dave Chappell. You could think of it as DC's version of the Beatles getting back together. One show only. Don't miss it!

Even Reston Rocks

Chip Py got his start in rock photography right here in the trenches of DC ROCKS, and I have to say he has got it down. (check out the poster above) And David Kitchen is as good as Chip Py makes him look so by all means get out and see him this Friday night.  He'll be playing at the M & S Grill somewhere in the wilds of Reston. There's no cover charge, and it's a new CD release party to boot.

By the by- from the horse's mouth- David says:

"I'll have some incredible players with me Friday night: Ariel Francis- bass, Larry Ferguson- drums, Dan Hovey- guitar, Mookie Siegel - keyboards. Yikes! I'm pinching myself."

Thank You Arlo

It used to be so simple. Pilgrim hats and Indian head dresses. We'll bring the turkey; you bring the corn. We used to act out that original potluck at school and put the same characters in wax on our dinner table. America was our cornucopia.
But by high school I found out that a lot of things were left out of my history books. Early on I never thought much about the impact of people who said things like "Whoops, we thought we were in India." Times have changed immeasurably since I was a kid, but we never did burn those candles that still decorate our family's table.


Well, maybe once.

Now, when I think of Thanksgiving, I feel sad and bad on many levels and try to get over that and feel happy and thankful which I am.
I am thankful that Magruder's has such good liquor prices, and I am thankful for the wine I picked up there for Thursday's dinner which is going to make me and a lucky member or two of my family happy.
I am thankful I don't have to make the turkey.
I am happy to make my own cranberry relish which no one else in my family will eat, but that's okay- more for me. There I 'm happy again.

But let's move on.

After Thanksgiving I am usually so exhausted I cannot move even though all I did was drive a few miles and eat too much. It's all I can do to make it to a couch and lie there in lizard like lethargy. It must be all the mental hoopla which comes from consorting with too many family members in one room at one time taking up all the available air. If, however, I did want to get out (which is never out of the question) the place to go on Thursday night would be the Sunset Grille where the Thrillbillys play- even on Thanksgiving.

By Friday I usually have my get up and go back, and there is a lot going on to help dance off that dinner.

The Grandsons are playing at the Barns at Wolf Trap- a most excellent band in a most excellent venue. I love the Barns because it's one of the few places the park service will let you drink. In fact they sell it to you. Did I mention the place is beautiful? And Derek Huston, our favorite McLean-New Orleans son will be flying in to add his "cool cat" horn to the mix.

Hands down this would be the show to go to if there wasn't another excellent band in yet another favorite venue. The Nighthawks are playing the State Theater, a renovated-for-rock movie house, which features everything you need at a rock show- bars for the thirsty, tables for the hungry, a dance floor for the antsy, and a balcony overlooking the hoi polloi for the spectator who needs a break from the action.

With all that going on, it would be irresponsible of me not to say I am happy and thankful to live in D.C. where once upon a time you could always count on hearing "Alice's Restaurant" on our dearly beloved gone away radio station WHFS, and that used to make me very happy, but that's another story.

 

Edward Dolan Junior III Speaks:

"Mansutus Jones (as we were called in the day) was together from 1970 thru 1974. We played regularly in DC coffee houses, at The Cellar Door's "Hootenanny nights" and many other events both over and underground. We were a "White Album" band. Our whole life was based around that record, and still is. Both Mark and I realized this at a chance reunion a few months ago. We played music like we had never left.

So here we are, doing it one more time. It will be a short opening set for local rock bands Sister Ex and Pup Tent's "All Turkey's Eve" show this Wednesday- 9 p.m. at O' Shaunessy's in Alexandria."

Little Red Goes Out to Virginia

If you couldn't make it to JVs last Thursday- try to head over this Saturday night for Little Red and The Renegades for a true taste of Louisiana all the way up here at the top of Dixie.

9 p.m.

Sixty Two Years Young

I met a guy named Pete visiting from San Jose last weekend at a dinner party, and one of the first things he told me was he could not believe the amount of great music around here. He presumed Washington was a stuffy little town, but Pete soon changed his mind after he saw the lights of U Street.

Even more amazing is the talent you can find crammed into places like JV's Restaurant-a lilliputian outpost hidden in a strip mall on Route 50- not too far past that Satanic intersection known as Seven Corners. JV's is a hold out; a time capsule of a 1947 bar and grill which some might describe as a dive, but for others it's why we go there.

This Thursday go see for yourself and catch one of the area's finest guitar players- Dan Hovey when the aptly named Dan Hovey Band resumes its monthly gig with Dave Elliott on drums, and Claude Arthur on bass. 9 p.m.

The Tangled Web We Weave

What do we know about the three bands playing this Saturday night November 14 at The Red and the Black other than that they're an impressive assemblage of local talent? I asked around and I found the usual DC web of connections .

I found out that 7 Door Sedan practices in the legendary Madhouse Studios in Mt. Pleasant. 7 Door Sedan drummer Norman Van der Sluys is the brains behind the Studios, the doors of which are now closed at least in the traditional location. (The history of Madhouse Studios will be a future blog post!) King Mixer drummer Danny Ingram was in Madhouse, the band from which the Studio took its name. It also appears that Danny once lived with Alex DeSeabra of XMC. This is proof of the ultimate drummer conspiracy. Come on out and weave yourself in.

Lyn2

Good Omen for Friday the 13th?

Friday night's show in Burtonsville might ward off any bad luck for the 13th of November. DC ROCKS readers will remember that Puptent and Sister Ex always rock your world. Check out The Slow Learners, new to this writer and very intriguing. At Chapala/Palenque bar in Burtonsville. 15530 Old Columbia Pike; Burtonsville MD.

Lyn2

Friday at Outpost 136

Today is the day we give veterans their due, but if you don't have the day off, or don't know exactly how to say thanks- here's an alternative way to show support- check out events at American Legion Halls.

Mark Opsasnick, local rock historian, (and I mean music, not geology) has seen and written about many, many bands in his time so when he has a recommendation, it's definitely worth paying attention. Mark sent this out yesterday:

Hey,
It's been a while, but I'm still here, and I'll be coming out of self-imposed hibernation to check out the SACCHETTI BAND at the Greenbelt American Legion this Friday night. Take a look at their website, the band looks great.
The Legion is just a fantastic place to see live music. There's good food, low-priced drinks, and great people.

Time: 8pm-midnight.
Admission: $5
Drinks: CHEAP!

Also, keep in mind the Greenbelt Legion will be having an absolutely incredible Christmas dance on December 18th featuring THE BAD WEATHER BOYZ (one of the very best rock and roll-R&B bands out there today) I'll have more about that event in December.

If it's Veteran's Day It's Not Necessarily Monday

I remember growing up when holidays actually fell on the date they were supposed to fall on. February was a good month because we had Lincoln's AND George Washington's birthdays. Then some wise guy came up with Presidents' Day.
These days I've grown to expect the holiday to be on a Monday, and that my trash day will be bumped to Friday. (Of course I remember about half the time.)
But Veteran's Day seems to have escaped the Monday format, so tonight is not a "normal" Tuesday night for DC kids and Federal types.
Need something to do?
Long time musician and hometown girl, Patty Reese will be playing tonight
for the Open Hearth Benefit for pagans of all paths at Westminster Presbyterian Church
400 I Street SW
Washington, DC

Food, beer and wine for sale. Tickets $13 at the door.

7 pm

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.

On 2 Washingtons and A Radio

(photo by birdman9)

Recently I visited Seattle and Olympia in the other Washington so I could get more chummy with this part of the world, since my daughter lives there for school, and it's likely my son will head out there too. It must be the cosmic draw of a place called Washington that has its own Mt. Rainier which is also where we live now. I think few know that both Mt. Rainier and Takoma Park, MD were surveyed by guys from Seattle in the late 19th century, who named them after familiar places back west.

Luckily, when I was there, the region experienced an unprecedented week of sun and warmth so I experienced a particularly glorious visit, and, for a die-hard east coast girl, I liked it a lot. A highlight in Seattle was riding by the office of one of my favorite radio stations - KEXP. While streaming live is great any time, I'm a big fan of DJ Michele Myers who is on air Saturdays from 6-9 p.m. our time.

When I got back home, I found out that our own WRNR can be heard on-line. They play a huge variety of stuff, and now I don't have to wait until I'm driving to Bowie or the beach or the occasional rainy day when the signal carries here to our neighborhood.

Speaking of alternate homes, I'm smitten with WFMU from New York - Jersey City really - where I haven't lived, but keep thinking I might. Thanks to Lisa Shenouda for introducing me to The Best Show on WFMU.

So while there's no place like home here in DC, there are a lot of cool places to visit and internet radio can link you up wherever you are.

Lyn2

Bayoupalooza, Cher

You may have heard of the Southern Crescent and the Bermuda Triangle, but there's also the Washington, DC- Austin- New Orleans Triumvirate to consider. For some reason this button-down town really goes for that Southern funk. And although we sometimes lose musicians to the scene down there, unlike the Bermuda thing, we often do get them back. This weekend you can celebrate that bayou connection at the Fall Dance Festival in Glen Echo Park. Look for lots of great Cajun and Zydeco bands both from here and down South. (Don't worry if you don't know the difference between Cajun and Zydeco; someone there will gladly fill you in, but let's just say the Cajuns know how to slow down once and awhile.)
Dances will be held in the Bumper Car Pavilion and the Spanish Ballroom pretty much all day starting at 11. Bands from our local triumvirate include Little Red and the Renegades at 2 and Natty Beaux starting at 9 p.m. on Saturday.
Sunday bands play from 11 a.m.-6:30 p.m.

Learn just what "laissez les bon temps roulez" is all about.

Message From DC's Greenland

Only the cool cats go out on Wednesdays- and THIS WEDNESDAY there is a very cool show at the Black Cat when Greenland (sans Tony who is on tour) will open up for Richard Lloyd.(sans Television) Ten clams.

The Letter X Rides Again

The members of XMC were actually once real working motorcycle couriers -but now they havve morphed from their ex jobs and past musical life into a relatively new band.
X Motorcycle Couriers are: Marc Lambiotte (Holy Rollers, Grand Mal) Graham McCulloch (Meatmen) and Alex DeSeabra (Yell County, Hyaa!) They will be doing their thing this Saturday night at Black Cat. Old DC just keeps on rocking.

If Clapton Can Do It

GHz-my favorite psychedelic power trio has an unplugged gig @ LeeLynn's in Ellicott City this Thursday evening-early- from 6:30-9:30. It's sort of a background dinner music thing so if you live on that side of the world please go and give them your support-and if you must heckle, be like the band- use sign language.