Dance Revival This Saturday

Put your hands in the air and your feet on the floor. Leave all your trials and tribulations at Surf Club's door. Saturday night Billy Coulter and The Junk Yard Saints won't leave you all alone until that dance floor is full of believers.

And back downtown Elikeh has got the Afrofunk thing wrapped up and ready to go at the Velvet Lounge to get DC in the groove where it belongs.

Both these shows are $10 or under. Don't forget- teevee as we know it will be gone on June 12th. Now is the time for all you brothers and sisters out there to convert your bad selves to live music. Here's the Godfather to give you a little inspiration:

Get Up Offa That Thing!

Amen.

Sunday's Got Soul

And Papa's got a brand new bag! Congratulations to Vivian and Chris Watling on the arrival of the newest hippest rocker in town Coleman Jet Watling. Chris missed two gigs - one with the Grandsons and one with King Soul for this Blessed Event, but as far as we know Chris 'll be back in the sax saddle again when King Soul plays Iota this Sunday evening.


With three horns, keyboard, drums, guitars and the irrepressible Tom Clifford leading the charge, the stage will be packed with talent.

DC homie Colonel Josh will be kicking off this conveniently early show so there's no excuse even if you do have to work on Monday. Doors at 7. King Soul around 8:30.

A Short Trip

If you aren't getting away this weekend in a big way, don't forget the one and only Charm City lays a mere 40 miles and a crab cake up I-95. We at DC ROCKS never stop singing Washington's praises, but we also believe that travel is the best education. Baltimore is a short distance, but a different world from here. It's "the city that reads". It's home to Arrabers, John Waters and Cafe Hon, Fell's Point and Edgar Alan Poe's grave. Have a picnic in the shadow of The Pagoda in Patterson Park or eat your way through Lexington Market. If you want to splurge, save room for Henninger's- a very cool bar and most excellent restaurant. And then go see those those crazy boys that brought you Razz way back when. Now aptly named The Howling Mad, they will be in Baltimore this Saturday Night at Metro Gallery.

For Thursday: Solving Two Problems at Once

Problem #1: Prabir and the Substitutes are playing at DC9 this Thursday night, May 21, and both writers here have run out of superlatives to describe their boundless energy.

Problem #2: We know many people read DC ROCKS, but only a few comment, which brings us back to Problem #1. C'mon. Share your reviews, prodding, encouragement or what have you with fellow readers.

If you haven't experienced the boys yourself, then get out and see them first and write about 'em later. Prabir and The Substitutes hail from Richmond (but we think that they are ours) and Tally Hall is from another rocking town-Ann Arbor MI.

Lyn1 and Lyn2
Happy Birthday Lyn1!!!!!!!

Monday is the Best Night to Go Out

Now that the season finale of House has aired, you can go out on Monday night and it's the best night of the week. No crowds. Bartenders and bands are happy to see you. Shows end early. Try it out tonight and see Puptent and XMC at the Black Cat. If you read this blog, you know who Puptent are. XMC are ex-Holly Rollers/Meatmen/Negative Approach/Hyaa!

Lyn2

Get Your Prabir HERE

That high energy waif thin crazy rock band from Richmond Prabir and the Substitutes are coming round again to climb the walls of the Galaxy Hut in Clarendon this SUNDAY night. They always put on a show guaranteed to make you smile. Their pals, The Palominos will be opening. I've seen these guys a few times, and they are a solid Indie rock band that leans towards the South. The tiny friendly atmosphere of The Galaxy Hut makes it the perfect place be on a Sunday evening when you are in the mood to deny Monday.

For those of you that just can't get there- you do have a second chance- there will be a second coming- Prabir and The Subs will be back in DC proper this Thursday May 21st at DC9 opening for Tally Hall and Malbeck.

Another Reason Why DC Rocks

George Pelecanos is a guy who knows D.C. He grew up here, hung out here, and he has the gift to take what he knows and competently spin it into stories. He doesn't write about those transient types that tend to come and go every four years or so. His books are more likely to be set on Lamont Street than Pennsylvania Avenue. His characters come from cops, sales men and street wise types-the real grit and glue that hold DC together. (or try to tear it apart)
And he is very, very good at it. My favorite The Big Blowdown was set in DC in the 1940s. I gave it to my father who excitedly recognized old haunts, and passed it on. Then my copy disappeared somewhere amongst my cousins, but I still remember the story.

This Thursday evening George will be signing books and reading from his newest The Way Home starting at 7 p.m. at Politics and Prose- a full service and independent book store/ cafe.

Radio On

Sunday May 10 - 6pm - 9pm - Third Rail Radio at the University of Maryland.

7 Door Sedan, Rustbuckit and Dollar Bin will perform and talk a about the resurgence of familiar faces in the indie/punk/rock and roll DC scenen. Third Rail Radio is open to the public and you're invited. You can also listen on 88.1 FM or wmucradio.com.

WMUC 88.1 Studio
3130 South Campus Dining Hall; Third Floor
University of Maryland in College Park

This mom would like nothing better on Mother's Day except seeing Wolverine with my awesome son Richard, so we may not make it. Just last night I saw Dollar Bin and they're evolving into a great jamming, sliding, rocking force. Last weekend I saw Rustbuckit and they lived up to my expectations that they're redefining golden years. As for 7 Door Sedan, I try not to miss a show because these guys turn your brain inside out and never the same way twice. All these bands plus a DC scene interview of historic proportions - beats the Sunday blues or sure.

Lyn2

Two Rivers Run Through It

This Saturday night is fraught with choices besides watching the rain swollen waters of Washington's rivers. Close to the ever popular Potomac, David Kitchen will be opening for Eilen Jewel at IOTA in Arlington. If you can't make it be sure to check out his new stellar (and star studded) CD called "Underground."

And if you are more in the mood to kick up your heels at a dance party, then head over to the SURF CLUB nearer to the banks of the somewhat abused and under appreciated Anacostia. The Surf Club has a big dance floor and the ever reliable rhythms of The Grandsons and Little Red and The Renegades won't let you down.

Why Don't You Just Go?

It's the Velvet Lounge again this week, Friday night. Tru Fax and the Insaniacs, Dollar Bin and Dead Souls from Brooklyn. This writer has had a tough week. Maybe you have too. Go see these bands and you will smile, dance, shout, shake, shimmy, talk, drink... whatever you have to do to recover from a week of work and rain.
Photo courtesy of JB at Surf Club Live

Or you could head over to the Black Cat. Greenland will be there and These United States. Again
great options for the world weary work week-low cover high energy lots of talent crammed in small spaces. And this writer has also had A Week. Yeesh. What a week.

We here at DC Rocks are no spring chickens, but we aren't dead yet either. Not by a long shot.

Love from both Lyns

Hometown Radio

Radio used to be a saving grace for me in this town. It was a connection to people and music. It meant something. My cousin Candy was Miss WINX one year. When my friend and I drove to school, we'd regularly hear Bob Dylan's "Rainy Day Women #12 & 35" on WHFS at 8:30 in the morning. It was just the excuse we needed to stay in the car rather than run for the bell. I never liked the deejays who sounded like a running ad for sports events, but I was a sucker for the guy who rambled on and on about the weather, and the next record he was going to play, and what band he was going to see at The Bayou Friday night.

As the DC stations we once knew and loved continue to slip away morphing into conglomerate type entities- one lone hold out carries on that kind of crazy eclectic tradition that is becoming so rare-WPFW. No corporate sponsors here. NONE . Zero. A lot of jazz, a little blues, a lot of talk. Zydeco, Reggae and World music- they've got that. I was always partial to Jerry Washington's character-the Bama, and his spirit is still alive here along with those old school House Parties every Saturday. Even their fund raisers are much easier to listen to than the more main stream public stations, relying heavily on the ding of a front desk type bell when a new pledge comes in and a lot of low key encouragement.
This year to expand the pledge drive- the First Annual Luck of The Duck Race will be happening on June 7th at the Georgetown Harbor featuring 20,000 rubber ducks. I had to get on board with this even before I found out if you "adopt" a duck, you have a chance to win a million dollars. What a concept. Anyway -five bucks gets you a duck and a chance to keep this very important Washington institution a float.