Original Rock

Nostalgia is in the air this week. Tomorrow night film makers Richard Taylor and Jeff Krulik will celebrate the 40th anniversary of Razz's first single with an early peek at their new documentary about the band. DC Salon hosts this free event at the Shaw Library at 7 p.m. Razz played back in the day when live music bars were sprinkled all over this town-places like Desperados, Columbia Station, The Far Inn, The Keg and The Bayou. Back then the Unicorn Times listed bands in categories which included "original rock," and we had a wealth of talent to choose from. Here's a Unicorn Times ad from October 1979 created by Razz's truly creative front man Michael Reidy.

On Saturday night Ruthie and the Wranglers will open for what remains of NRBQ. Although NRBQ is not from here, the band had a big following in DC, and weirdly enough, this ad appeared in the same October issue of the Unicorn Times.

Ruthie and NRBQ will be at the Hamilton which is a great place to see a show.  Once upon a time this used to be Washington's own Garfinckel's Department Store which catered to the white and wealthy. The eight story flagship emporium was built in 1929, but many decades later our friend and local rock connoisseur Patty Ferry worked there as a sales girl. She remembers when the cashiers sent money around in space age plastic tubes which travelled through vacuum powered chutes. Now three floors of this massive building are devoted to eating and drinking plus two music venues. One of these is a small club on the third floor, and the other is a state-of-the-art performance space in the basement.

Anybody Lose A Shoe?

DC ROCKS has flown the coop and migrated South for Mardi Gras which got under way this week with parades including the wonderful women of Muses last night.

Many years ago options for Mardi Gras in Washington were far and few between, but for those who can't make it to New Orleans come Tuesday, you might want to make your way down to the new Wharf in SW.  Their parade starts around 6 p.m. followed by a dance party on District Pier and fireworks of all things which reminds us we are still in the District after all.  Look for our friends The Grandsons in the parade and playing a free after party at Pearl Street Warehouse.

Get Your Gras On

Hey y'all. We are deep into carnival season which started January 6th and will end on February 13th. If you haven't got your beads on yet, kick off the celebration with a Cajun kind of New Orleans swamp party at New Deal Cafe this Saturday with Little Red and the Renegades.  Also on Saturday, the rambunctious fellows of King Soul will lay down their own Southern groove. If you want to get into their Villain and Saint show, better get tickets in advance or show up early as this is a small place for a big band.

Here's what else is going down this month...please hit me up with missing gigs....

February

1

Thrillbillys @ JV

2

Black Masala @ Pearl Street Warehouse

3

Little Red @ New Deal

King Soul @ Villain and Saint

Heavy Breathing/ TK Echo @ Comet Ping Pong

4 

Sunday shows!

Rock A Sonics @ JV ( 1 pm)

Linwood Taylor @ JV (night)

6

Ruthie's Jamboree @ New Deal

8

Dan Hovey & the Tall Boys @ JV

10 

Red Dress Ball W/ Eric Felten @ Glen Echo

Beatles Love Songs @ The Hamilton

13

(It's not just Tuesday - It's MARDI GRAS !)

Grandsons @ Pearl Street Warehouse 

15

Thrillbillys @ JV

16

Nighthawks @ Hank Dietle's

Valentine Slim @ Takoma VFW

18

Buddy Holly Tribute @ Bethesda Blues

22

DC Music Salon about Razz @ Shaw Library 7pm

Dave Chappell Band @ JV