DC Rocks Readers.... Meet DC Noir

One sliver of a silver lining of our collective curfew is the ability to watch things on our screens which would otherwise be unavailable. Over the weekend, those who were paying attention, caught Rolling Stones members playing the apropos "You Can't Always Get What You Want" each from their respective homes. There was Keith with a drink on his coffee table, Mick standing in front of his art collection, Charlie stuck in a corner, and Ronnie looking like he's playing at the top of his stairs.  Bands played world wide, millions of people watched, and I didn't have a clue. I can't tell you what I was doing last Saturday because I'm not even sure I knew it was Saturday.

This morning, however, I woke up to find a welcome bulletin in my inbox because I don't want to miss this happening. The DC Film Festival is giving us the opportunity to watch an encore presentation of past films to make up for having to postpone this year's event. A couch fest if you will. Each "series" will last a week beginning today with DC Noir, a movie which captures DC in a way that many won't recognize.  Why?  Because the unique thing about this film is just how local it is.

Most movies supposedly set here, will flash a cameo of the Washington monument or a stock aerial shot of downtown. This movie lives here in Petworth and Parkview, and in all four quadrants. The producers, cast, and crew are all local, and you won't see one shot of a famous landmark unless it was inadvertent. The score comes from Fugazi's Brendan Canty, and go-go's Backyard Band will pop up as well.  The script is based on four short stories by George Pelecanos. An honest and gritty writer, George has dedicated much of his life to portraying the real DC, and this film feels true.

Easter and Other Things

Happy Easter, you all. Yes, today is the "real" Easter as my father used to say. Why?
Because the Greeks are always right.
That's why.
But I was lucky. My father didn't object when my non- Greek mother would fill a basket with eggs and chocolate on "American" Easter and hide the basket in the yard because a rabbit left it there. I knew it was my mother, but we pretended I didn't. I also knew there was no such thing as a Greek Easter Bunny. On the Greek side of the family, tradition called for red eggs representing the blood of Christ, which was not fun until we got to bash them together playing a game at the end of a huge party with all our cousins.

At least that's what happened in my family. Another take on religious  confusion is worth a visit with David Sedaris in an old episode of "This American Life" called Santa vs the Easter Bunny.

Also confusing is how musicians are going to survive this social distancing edict playing in their yards like bewildered bunnies. Mark Segraves, a dear friend of live music,  wants you to know that DC is planning to help with a little plan they are calling "Pandemic Unemployment Assistance" or PU for short. (Ok, it's actually PUA, but you'll remember it better if I say PU- assistance )

From Mark:
"If you are an independent contractor or a gig worker who is out of work, you qualify for up to $600 a week in unemployment compensation. Here is how to apply in DC. Remember you apply in the jurisdiction where you work not where you live. If you work in multiple jurisdictions you’re advised to apply where you earn the most money. You are NOT entitled to the state unemployment payment. But you are entitled to the federal supplement of up to $600 a week. To apply IN DC send an email to PUA@DC.gov. ask to be put on the notification list for when the application process opens."

Even though Mark is trying to help, I know you musical types. You'll attempt to read the above and crawl back in bed, confused and depressed... but here's my thought. Pay attention to that last sentence which I put it in bold so you can read it bleary eyed. Send that email and ask to be notified about PU assistance. Hopefully it won't stink. Maybe you'll get a little money so it's worth a shot, right?

Good luck, my friends. 

Checking In

Holding the fort at home, I am losing track of time. This happened once before, when I attended a four day wild and wonderful wedding event in New Orleans in which an abundance of frivolity and an abandonment of caution led to a distinct blurring of days.  Jubilant tribal gatherings, simple hugs and sharing feasts- all of that seems a bit unreal now, just as our current plight with Covid 19 seems like a nightmare.

Still there are silver linings. I live under the flight path to National and am no longer startled awake by early morning planes. The roar of Canal Road has given way to bird song, and I find myself saying things like Look! There's a car on Chain Bridge.

Meanwhile I am having a hard time finding things to write about so I reached out to a few musical types and asked them these three questions:

1. How are you doing and what are you doing to keep sane?

2. What are you up to musically ?

3. Any virtual performances ( or anything else) that you want people to know about in April?


 Guitar slinger, Dan Hovey, currently of The Nighthawks replied:

"I try to get up every day.  I'm teaching my Montgomery College students via Skype, which is rough but better than nothing. I got back on FaceBook, which I still don't understand, but with my daughter Anna's help, I got a video posted of me doing the tune "How Long." I should have another one pretty soon. And I helped Jack O'Dell record a demo of his new tune "Non-Essential Blues" by emailing tracks back and forth. 

Mark Wenner and I shot a few videos in my back yard (at an appropriate distance). They're up on FaceBook, too. So... making music at home and sending it out through that system of tubes called the internet." (The Nighthawks are planning a live performance on Facebook at 2 pm on Sunday.)

Next I checked in with Devoted Friend of Live Music, Bill Henke, who is currently a barista at Ceremony Coffee in Bethesda. 

"Really strong pot keeps me sane, thanks to my Maryland Cannabis card! Thankfully I'm still employed but I work alone. maybe 3 customers an hour. I make great espresso for myself, do LOTS of cleaning, and crank up WFMU, while thinking of WHFS. Personally, I like a world with less people, less traffic. I feel like I'm in a small town... like Bethesda of the 70's!!! (But I woefully miss the Nats.)

I was blasting RUMBLE at work yesterday, and a fellow wanders in drawn to the music. He says "That was in Pulp Fiction. I got to tell him about one of my favorite subjects: Link Wray! I told him that Link even played in Bethesda. Magical.  I left out the story of Link playing with The Cramps at the Psychedelly, and Lux driving the mic stand thru the ceiling... Watching spring envelope the landscape is so much more special now.   For the first time I saw baby squirrels darting about like water bugs." 

Joe Dolan of The Vi-Kings and The Beatnik Flies:

"I wake up and shake off the weird dreams. Then I actually have breakfast even though I'm not a breakfast person. I have been catching up on my drinking as I catch up on my favorite hobby.  Watching TV. I have never felt comfortable performing unless I am surrounded by world class musicians, but I have posted two homemade videos. "Perfidia" and "I Couldn't Get High." 

I didn't have to ask Tom Clifford of King Soul. He is playing records in his basement and sharing Tom's Record of the Day on Youtube with the help of his daughters. A very cool thing. Also King Soul "got together"and made a video of Jake Flack's song "The Other Side."

Jake commented that he is "keeping sane and safe over here in Takoma Park.  Working on some songs and pumped that the KS video is being well received."

Dave Chappell, guitar hero in his own right, is "staying in touch with family and friends ... watching ridiculous reruns of Weeds, Eastbound and Down, and old music clips on Youtube. He walks a few miles everyday and is working on a new record with seven songs already done. "Trying to beat the devil, 24 hours at a time .. 'til this is over."

And finally the uber busy (and salty) drummer Jack O' Dell, who usually divides his time between The Thrillbillys and The Rhodes Tavern Troubadours, has his own way of keeping the beat and a way with words:

1. I’m smoking a lot of weed. I’m gardening like an Idaho Prepper. I’m writing songs more than before. My life was a Mexican Soap Opera before Corona so really I’ve barely noticed the crisis. I like ice cream

2. I’m in a more creative groove writing songs. I’ve posted a new one on Facebook.

(I’ve been encouraged to do a cleaner demo so I hired this hack, Dan Hovey, to do the guitar and I recut the vocal in a proper studio. ) I’m writing a new song called "Earthquake Weather."  And I smoke a lot of weed. 

3. As I have things ready and I learn about my new, I don’t need to leave the house anymore, camera. I’ll be posting things in f-book, instant grams, and whatever. MySpace. 

4. Not just any ice cream. Hagen fucking Das coffee ice cream. 

Dear readers, even if you aren't fond of social media, it is a forum where we can still connect with our stranded musical community via comments or sometimes a PayPal option.  Please check out the videos if you can, and check in with people you love.  Or go see Bill for a cup of coffee and pick up a little DC music history with your java.

Hang in there everybody. 

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