They'll Be Dancing in the Streets

Where are all these people going? Right where they were last year- watching music in the middle of the street in the middle of Takoma Park which makes this none other than the Takoma Park Street Festival. Bands band bands.  Food food food.  Farmer's Market and festive stuff. Live music scheduled from 11- 5 on three different stages- all this Sunday. Free.

Guitar Wonks' Alert

Friday Is Top Heavy

Today is Wednesday. Hump day- gotta get through to the other side day for the majority of working stiffs. For many musicians though, it's actually the weekend. A Sunday night kind of thing since a lot of bands start their weekends on Thursday. Here in Washington where the weather has been and continues to be partly sunny partly cloudy chance of thunderstorms for what seems like years now, it could be any day -same weather.

You could make things different. Go and see a live show. There are a lot of choices this week. Thursday night The Thrillbillys will command the Sunset Grille as usual.  Friday night  Baked and Wired in Georgetown is hosting an unplugged show with Peter Maybarduk.  Energetic types might want to go downtown to the Rock n Roll Hotel to catch The Great Unknowns who are doing  a benefit show for American veterans. And last but not least, you dancing animals should head over to Surf Club Live for a double header featuring The Grandsons and Curly Taylor and Zydeco Trouble. All of these shows are less than $20, but a little money goes a long way in the music world around here.

A Truly Honky Tonk Girl for One of DC's Last True Honky Tonk's

Good Things in Small Packages

The Sunset Grille in Annandale could not be a weirder, funkier, more down to earth kind of bar if it tried. (Yes, it's in Virginia, but it's a straight shot off that necessary evil- The Beltway.)
Music there ranges from pretty good to over the top outstanding, and the cover is never a big deal. Never a bad view-The Grille might be eight people deep from bar to stage- the picture above ,of the night Eddie Angel of Los Straightjackets showed up, was taken from the bar with a phone.

This THURSDAY go see David Kitchen and you will see what we mean.


Here's what's happening from Mr Kitchen:

"Come to The Sunset Grille, my home away from home where this Thursday night I will be bringing in my buddies to play the flat out rock and roll, double shuffling country numbers and funky old soul tunes that will have you dancing for sure. Dan Hovey on guitar, Jon Combs on bass and Robbie Magruder on drums. "

Thursday is the New Friday by Lynn Thorp

Whether you are in DC or one of our readers to the North or South, there's something for you to do this Thursday night.

At the Ottobar in Baltimore, DC's own Dear Season (Nathan Strejcek, Phil Duarte and Sean Randolph) will join Glen Matlock and the Philistines and two other bands. (Rock History Quiz: Do you know who Glen Matlock is?)

At DC9, you can catch 7 Door Sedan, Sister Ex and Marshall Keith. Doors at 8:30, bands at 9 pm in that order.

And at JV's out in Virginia-it's Dan Hovey. A lotta music.

You can't go wrong here folks. Support local music and your friends!

Thursdays Can Be Thrilling

Our Man About Town

George Pelecanos writes prolifically and profoundly, and sets his books in and around his hometown- our own Washington D.C. A big music fan, George writes about the real streets and sounds of Washington and that rarely includes Pennsylvania Avenue- especially now that the Powers That Be have seen fit to close the roads around the White House which cripples crosstown traffic. (How ironic that with all the latest 9/11 hoopla, there is talk of terrorists taking advantage of our horrible evacuation routes!)

But I digress.

George Pelecanos- will be reading from his new book, The Cut at Politics and Prose this Monday at 7 p.m. This independent bookstore has outlasted the Borders mega chain and holds down the fort near the corner of Connecticut and Nebraska.

Remembering Kazz

DC ROCKS readers may want to know about the plans to honor Kazz Montgomery, a legendary figure in our music and entertainment scene and a bright light in the lives of many in our community. Here's the info:

Saturday, September 10, 2011
GREENE FUNERAL HOME
814 Franklin Street, Alexandria VA 22314
(703) 549 - 0089

The viewing will be from 10am - 11am
The funeral service will be from 11am - 1pm

Any flowers or cards, etc. that you may wish to send may be delivered to:
GEORGIA BROWN'S RESTAURANT; 950 15th Street NW; Washington DC 20005
PHONE : (202) 393-4499

Goodbye Summer and Good Riddance

Perhaps the only good thing about the end of summer is the first freeze will knock out that incredibly pesky pest- the Mosquito. Besides feeding bats, I can't think of a single reason these blood suckers are here on the planet except to ruin the great outdoors for the rest of us.

Everybody complains, but few really do something about the invasion. My local hero, Doug Dupin is on the mission. He participated in DC's West Nile monitoring  program and was disappointed that the Tiger Mosquito, clearly our worst offender, was eluding capture. Doug went the extra mile , however, and developed the perfect lure-which involves smelly foot wear.  A giant step forward for civilization in the War of Bug vs Man. Read more about here at The Palisades Museum of Prehistory.