Bind Your Eyes with Trembling Mermaids

It's been a while since Ginger Baker, Jack Bruce and Eric Clapton gave us the sound that only a band named Cream could deliver. I was fourteen when I first discovered the "Tales of Brave Ulysses" mural painted on an inner wall of a hen house, but that's another story.

Ten odd years later, after the band broke up,  I remember sitting on the floor of a party somewhere in the wilds of College Park listening to "Disraeli Gears" while guys spoke in rapturous tones about the meaning of the songs and the guitar solos, and all that stuff men love to dissect.

Even now- type the word "cream" into the Google image search box, and three pictures of the band crop up before there's one of a dairy product. The guys in Gigahertz understand all this, and they not only bring the music of those times back, but sometimes offer originals which can be a seamless fit. Come see them this Friday in DC's very cool new venue- The Hamilton. Unlike most places DC ROCKS covers, this joint is not a dive.  It's not even a joint.  I would have to call it a performance space with the night club downstairs and a very uptown dining room plus more bars upstairs all contained within the walls of what was the grand old Garfinkle's Department Store on 14th and F NW.

Opening band- The Yachtsmen, the closest Mark Noone (former Slickee Boy) can get to playing rock originals on Gilligan's Island, has got to be seen to be believed.

All this for a rock bottom cover of $5 at the door.
Show starts at 8:30 p.m.

The Vi-Kings: Always a Party Waiting to Happen

Rock the Roots with Elikeh Saturday

DC ROCKS Brings DC BRAU to New Orleans

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Hey DC

Sorry it's just Tuesday there, but at least you have DC Brau.
Happy Mardi Gras...

love from

DCRX

Caustic Casanova CD Event This Friday

Carnival- Catch It While You Can

Happy Valentine's Day DC

Get your Folk On Sunday...

Marian Fahey, a self described psychedelic-folk DC songstress, will be playing DC9 on Sunday February 12th with Welsh singer-songwriter Cate Le Bon.  Sounds like a very mellow way to end the weekend and or ponder Lincoln's birthday....
8 p.m.

DC ROCKS is at a loss as to how to describe this event so we will leave it up to the original scribe's description:




 "... a night founded by Brooklynite/former bassist of These Are Powers and Liars, Pat Noecker, comes to town featuring a Sasha-Lord-assembled cast of local greats from NPR, Fugazi and more. The players will assemble on the floor in a circle, each seamlessly exchanging 3-5 minute micro jams. Live video projection Robin Bell will flood the circle with eye candy as the sonic vignettes roll out over two 30 minute sets. A 10 minute improvised group piece will top it off to be followed by a sure to be blistering set from Pittsburgh beat busters, Expensive Shit, side band of Paul Q from !!!"



Comet Ping Pong is an interesting place: you can play ping pong while waiting for your dinner, and this sounds like a really interesting night, but be forewarned the sound there is often earplug worthy with or without the "blistering" caveat..

Three Out of Four Troubadours Cross Over

DC is a relatively small town with a big music scene...a big fat incestuous music scene as far as bands go.
This Friday see what I mean at IOTA when The Rhodes Tavern Troubadours open for King Soul, and don't be surprised if you see three of those Troubadours in soul suits later on in the night.
It's just a DC party kind of thing with good music all around.

Always Something To Do- Even On a Monday

Route One: A Travelogue of Sorts

Driving down Route One from College Park to the District is not the most scenic of journeys.
The landscape mostly consists of suburban sprawl- even when you cross into the city. Not much changes except for the names of the road, but there are places to fortify your soul for this journey.

Anyone who attended the University of Maryland since 1950 may or may not remember wandering into the lounge side of Town Hall Liquors.  Here Route One is Baltimore Avenue, and last week brought me back to this place- now an outstanding landmark for me because all of the other watering holes I knew-the Varsity Grill, Italian Gardens and even the Rendezvous are gone.

Town Hall has a slightly scary feel from the outside, but the inside remains virtually unchanged since visits during my college career in the late 1970s. Dead animal heads and aquatic type trophies still decorate the walls. The booths look original as does the vomit proof concrete floor. It can basically be described as a drinking bunker with pool and pinball.  And prices couldn't be more reasonable with or without happy hour specials. (One hand written poster proclaimed: Knob Creek $3 on Wednesdays!) There is no way to further describe this place without resorting towards ugly, but it's a mooring to the past where you can dock yourself at the bar and hoist one to the Terrapin.

A little less than three miles down the road, Franklin's Brewery and General Store in Hyattsville is now a favorite for those in need of fresh beer and decent grub. With one foot in the past, the building dates back to the 1890s, but slightly ahead of its time, Franklin's began producing its own beer and good food in 2002.  The recipes are a success. Happy hour is every day from 4-6, but towards the week's end, evenings are generally PACKED with very happy patrons- families and students alike. Although the beer menu changes according to what's being brewed-the quality does not.

If you have a driver, from Franklin's you have to jog back north just a bit on Route One to the first right which gets you onto Route One Alternate South or Bladensburg Road. ( I told you you'd need a driver now.) Our next stop- again only about 3 miles- is DC Brau  one of only two breweries located within the confines of the District of Columbia. This is not a pub, but the brewery is open for tours, tastings and growler fillings most Saturdays usually from 1-4. It's a bit hard to find- but their website shows the secret passage to get you behind the post office. The beer is DC centric- owned by DC guys with DC pride- and it's a dang good potation on top of all that.

Support the Avalon and Contribute to the Delinquency of Minors (In a Good Way)

Time Travel With Vi-Kings

Symbiosis Rocks

Local musicians will be the first to tell you that their job descriptions generally do not include benefits beyond a free meal or beer now and then which is partly why DC ROCKS exists. Musicians write me, I write about them, and like lichens, we try to keep each other alive.  
But musicians are generally generous souls, and often play benefits or events which can be incredibly reasonable. For example this Friday Lethal Peanut will put aside part of the proceeds of their CD release party at the Rock and Roll Hotel to support DC's own Duke Ellington School of the Arts. Tickets are just $10 for 3 bands.  You get music all night; they get the money and share it with a place that produces musicians.  I could go on, but I think you get the picture.
Doors at 8.

This Thursday Check Out Something New

January's Not So Bad

In January it's so nice
while slipping on the sliding ice
to sip hot chicken soup with rice.
Sipping once, sipping twice
sipping chicken soup with rice.

That's the world according to Maurice Sendak, but here in DC our version might read something more like this:

In January it's bizarre
to still have collards in the yard
and not an inch of snow so far.
Collards once, collards twice
Go see music in a bar.

This Saturday The Vi-Kings will light up the Quarry House in deepest darkest underground Silver Spring where there is no weather to speak of. A bomb could go off while you are down there, and you wouldn't be the wiser what with the yacking of all the people; and you probably won't care once you see the extensive bourbon list. Oh, and then there's the crunching of deep fried pickles and/or tater tots. (This place is not for the feint of heart.) Throw on top of that a legend in its own time band which will kick drum you back to the 60s, and you've got a swinging night out.

NO COVER!

The Underground Scene- You Can Dance if You Want To?

Two bargain basement shows are coming up this week- both a lot of fun- but both lacking in dance floors. The first is worthy of that Hawaiian cowboy shirt you have in the back of your closet- that one you've been itching to wear but had to wait for just the right occasion?
Finally the Time Has Come.
Honky-tonk worthy Ruthie and the Wranglers will be on a double bill with The Hula Monsters this THURSDAY at The Hamilton- the new posh Clyde's in town with tons of space and seating and no obstructed views. The intrepid and inventive dancers among you can go the Hannibal route: "find a way or make one." Early show- starts at 8 p.m. $15


Friday night, head down to Penn Quarter's Hill Country BBQ for a mess of ribs topped off with King Soul. Dancers have been known to push the tables around a bit, but King Soul does not stand on ceremony. Lead singer Tom Clifford was last seen here strutting his stuff on top of the tables.  Hold onto your hats for this one. 8:30 p.m. No cover.

Two Last Minute Events Added - Black Cat and The Hamilton Tonight

It's a new year. You can check out great local music on Thursday nights. This one at the Black Cat.

Grey March, Dot Dash and History Repeated

Who are these bands you ask? History Repeated includes the one and only Mr. John Stabb. Dot Dash are Terry Banks, Bill Crandall, Hunter Bennett and Danny Ingram. Grey March are Baltimore legends. Sounds right to me.

And Billy Coulter will do a FREE show at The Hamilton- DC's newest swankiest night spot.
The upcoming show with Mavis Staples is $100 a pop so this is your chance to get a sneak peek at a new space with a great band and no cover. 8 p.m.

DC Music Lesson Today

Tune in to WAMU (88.5 on your FM dial) today at noon when DC's own Ian Mackaye, formerly of Minor Threat and Fugazi, and founder of Dischord Records, will hit the airwaves to talk about the new online archive and his take of the punk rock history of Washington- a town whose musical history from jazz to bluegrass to punk is so rich and diverse- even the natives are surprised.

P.S. The above perfect example of a run on sentence was brought to you by a caffeine infused haze.

P.P.S. Here's the link to listen for all you who "skipped class."