Quarry House Goes to the Beach

(poster by Stephen Blickenstaff)

If the artwork involved is any indication, the Quarry House has lots of good music going on this Friday when two oceanic themed groups hit the stage.

All bands should be lucky enough to have an artist like Stephen Blickenstaff on board, but rocking surf band Atomic Mosquitos take advantage of his unique talent with the thereminophone. (If you've never seen one played live, now is the hour.)

Chip Py, DC ROCKS' house photographer, has been out doing himself shooting live bands these days. Check out DC ROCKS new facebook page to see what he's been up to. He also captured the cheeky spirit of The Yachtsmen who will be shoving the show off the dock at 9:45 Friday night. (All you fans missing the Slickee Boys and Troubadours- please note this is now the band where Mark Noone debuts his newest songs.)

Come early- it takes a good half hour to study the beer and bourbon menu which you're gonna need to wash down those tater tots.

Out of This World Rock Show Monday

Mark Noone - Slickee Boy, Troubadour, King Soul man, Hula Monster is coming out of the basement (and his clothes closet) with his newest incarnation the Yachtsmen this MONDAY night at Galaxy Hut- one of my favorite tiny haunts thanks to former owner and long time ethereal rocker Alice Despard who will also be playing this extraordinary double bill. It might be a Monday, but this show is a must see. Local rock history will be made before your eyes-don't miss it. Starts early -9 p.m.- so you can hit the pillow, too.

Snowbound with Slickee Boys

Thank you local film maker Jeff Krulik for bringing your camera to the  Slickee Boys show at Black Cat last summer. The bad news is this is the closest thing to a Slickees show anybody is going to get this year so check out Jeff's clip and put in your two cents on the 50 Year Olds Slam Dancing  concept. 

The only other recourse is to mark your calendars for December 29th at Iota when Slickee Boy Mark Noone will appear in the line up of both the Rhodes Tavern Troubadours Reunion Event (including Dave Chappell) and King Soul- eight fairly white boys doing solid Memphis stax.  

Gotta is Born by Lyn2

Slickee Boys History #2

There are so many stories so I have to default to my favorite. The first night they ever did Gotta Tell Me Why was around the summer of 1979 at the Childe Harold. Everyone loved it so much they insisted on an encore of it when the show was over. Then another. I've never seen a band do a song so many times. The crowd was dwindling but enthused. Some people who will go unnamed were drinking martinis from a pitcher - something else I am pretty sure I have never seen before or since. Some chairs were broken. It was bedlam entirely appropriate to the debut of an unusually perfect song.










You can make your up your own history when the SLICKEE BOYS appear this Friday at the Black Cat with GIRL LOVES DISTORTION. I wish my daughter Nicole was in town since she's been wearing Slickees shirts since she was a baby. First they were nightshirts since there were many sizes too big. Now they're everyday attire.

Old 9:30 Flyer / New Gigs

(Either get out your bifocals or click on the poster to read it.)

Maybe you can't find "Three Bands for Three Bucks" anymore, but you can still see the SLICKEE BOYS this Friday at Black Cat and TROUBLEFUNK at 9:30 Club Saturday night. The more things change...

You Gotta Tell Me Why They Keep Coming Back for More by Lyn2

What is it about the Slickee Boys that keeps them coming back for more? This question applies equally to the fans or the band. This legendary DC act, which played its "last show" in 1991, puts the fun back in fundamental. Their music hits the fundamentals of rock and roll because it's drawn from so many aspects of the art that you can't characterize it easily. They play with a certain abandon that a credible unnamed source likens to something like a car going off a cliff. In the best sense of that image. If they were a color they would be orange. While their "hey day" spanned many phases of local music history, they managed to both fit into those times and yet bring something that was missing. The Slickees never took themselves too seriously, but they never just dialed it in either. Maybe it's that combination that draws people back year after year. And the fans are by no means homogeneous. You might find a die-hard old school punk, but you'll easily spot someone whose tastes lean to classic rock.

Why does the band keep coming back for more? You will have to ask them. I am glad they do.

Today's History Lesson: (to be corrected and embellished by you the readers)
I think these pictures are from 1979. ( Click on the pix to enlarge.) The CBGB's show was with Tina Peel, a band out of Harrisburg, PA. Everyone stayed in their long skinny apartment on the Lower East Side way before it was gentrified and they had a Lancelot Link lunchbox in the kitchen. This wasn't the only CBGB's gig, but it might have been the first. The pictures of Kim and Mark seem to be Bethesda's Psychedelly, the scene of many a Slickees gig in most of the band's incarnations.

More history as we lead up to this Friday's Slickees show live at the Black Cat. With Girl Loves Distortion.

Slickee Boys Are Back in Town Just in Time

The old 9:30 Club used to advertise itself as "a place in time." Now it's a place that exists only in our minds. The long dark hall- the three seats by the back bar door- the tiny cubicle where Susan Mumford was usually posted to sell tickets. The front and back bars where Stewart Schmalbach could be counted on to hold down one end or the other. All gone. Only the facade of the Atlantic Building remains there now.

You can't go back to the old 9:30, but you can see The Slickee Boys again- alive and very much still kicking THIS FRIDAY night at THE BLACK CAT- another cool old DC bar with history.

Beat the Heat With Billy Coulter

If you can't get to the beach this Friday evening, do the next best thing- grab a friend and check out Billy Coulter's beach party, part of Strathmore's backyard series, for literally award winning roots rock. (including five Wammies for 2008)
Or to quote Mark Noone of The Slickee Boys: "Original roots rock with an ass- kicking band. "
Only ten clams.

SLICKEES ALERT

Here today- gone tomorrow.
What a way to see out the Summer 2009-catch The Slickee Boys Reunion
September 4th at The Black Cat.

Skip Sixty Minutes

And to finish up this weekend with a bang- look at all the folks gathering at Jammin Java Sunday for the equivalent of a DC music old home week punk style rock family reunion extravaganza kicking off with The Beatnik Flies EARLY at 7:30 and rocking on until the last band is hear from. If you don't recognize some of these bands you will recognize a lot of the players from groups like Government Issue, Black Market Baby, Minor Threat and The Slickee Boys. Bring the kids and show 'em how it's done.

Slickees Rock Baltimore

(photos by LC)







Otto Bar
Dec 26
2008

Slickees Rule Surf Club!

(photos by Alan Kresse)
The Surf Club was packed last night, and it was a great rocking show thanks to all three bands-Monsters from the Surf, Ottley! and The Slickee Boys.

And hats off to Marshall Keith who pulled off being in two bands back to back. My friend Alan Kresse was there snapping the memories.

Alan and I go way back in the time machine to the University of Maryland, College Park 1979 when we were housemates. It was four guys and me, and the phone rang all the time. There were outrageous parties, and people we didn't even know would show up because they'd heard of The Dog House-aptly named because we shared the couch with Alan's gynormous Great Dane, Shea. We were hippies and jocks and nerds, but we were a gregarious crew. I came home from school one Friday afternoon, and there was a guy hanging out who looked familiar. It took me a minute to realize it was because I often passed him playing guitar and panhandling on Route One. Another time I walked in, and the living room was full of Hare Krishnas dancing around and making dinner. I have a feeling our vegetarian housemate Stuart was responsible for that one.

Anyway Alan was taking pictures back then, and he is still at it now.

Thanks to the glory of the internet- you can see pix of the Dog House - (what a time capsule!) and more importantly shots of all the bands last night plus other shows if you follow the links.

N.B. Slickees Shows Tonight and Tomorrow

Lyn2 says this is a show not to miss. So does the Express Night Out.
Shake off that mistletoe and shake a leg!

Long Ago Around this Time Of Year A Child Was Born. His Name Is Bob

Tuesday Night December 22 it's the birthday bash of the year, and Bob Berberich's bringing it home with The Rosslyn Mountain Goats- a band which always draws a veritable who's who crew of our local rock 'n' roll world to The Quarry House in Silver Spring. Ottley! will also be appearing. (Perhaps they'll slip into the celebrity phone booth to change.)
Every show I've seen (and I'm not sure that I've missed one) has been different and marvelous thanks to the ever revolving gang of guest stars. Last time I saw Mark Noone (Slickee Boys) do a set that couldn't be beat until Joe Dolan (Beatnik Flies) got up and did something completely different, but equally crazy good. With all that talent in the room, it's all good.
The time is 8 sharp. No cover. Three jamming sets. It'll be over around 11 so the working man can drink a toast to Bob and still hit the hay at a reasonable hour. Any and all donations will go to benefit Jr Cline.

Who Is He?

(Photo by Tom Shea)

Marshall Keith might be best known as a founding member of one of Washington's most celebrated local bands, The Slickee Boys, but he has remained extremely active in the music scene for many years in other bands and as a solo artist. His two solo CDs are out of print but much sought after. Look for them. Part singer, part song writer, part chameleon he is all musician and a heck of a guitar player. Lately he technically reinvented the instrument by utilizing a baritone neck on a rhythm guitar thus enabling him to play bass, rhythm and lead all at once with Ottley- the group he is in now.

Things have changed in this town since Marshall arrived almost fifty years ago. And things are changing again. Change for the good. Marshall reflects on the good, the bad and the sometimes really ugly in his piece for Washington My Hometown.

You can catch Marshall playing live next week- November 26- when Ottley plays the Quarry House in Silver Spring. And don't miss The Slickee Boys reunion gigs just after Christmas. Stay tuned to this blog for details.

A DC Boy

Anyone who knows Mark Noone (and that will include a LOT of DC natives) knows that he is a man of many, many talents and often driven towards perfection. You might know him as the lead singer of The Slickee Boys or a mainstay in the Hula Monsters. He's been in bands around here making music all his life, and may very well hold the world's record for the most performances ever at the 9:30 Club. He also has the gift of gab, and a phenomenol memory. Washington is his home town. Click here to find out what Mark was talking about on the playground at Lafayette Elementary-in 1964. He's still talking about it today.

The No Dead Horses Tour

A large part of my DC Rocks mission statement is covering the amazing in your face shows around here- the small places with low covers - and lucky for us- a DC scene rife with talented, veteran musicians.
This week's jaunt down Washington's musical memory lane -includes former members of The Razz, The Slickee Boys and The Hangmen to name a few. See them this FRIDAY NIGHT when Ottley! and The Howling Mad take The teeny tiny Velvet Lounge by storm.
(Speaking of in your face- nothing quite says in your face more than catching a show fronted by either Michael Reidy or Martha Hull.)

Sign me up !!!

The thing about these bands is that they are made up of musicians that- despite their years on the scene- are NOT stuck in the way back machine. Their music and sound is still evolving and impressive, and the energy level is somewhere off the charts. As they say on their own behalf it's about- "reuniting -not retreading."

I'll buy that. And for eight bucks- you can, too- this Friday night- Velvet Lounge- The No Dead Horses Tour. Opening up will be another local favorite- Dollar Bin.

Gaffney Benefit Part TWO Coming Up

Local rock stars will be performing Bob Dylan And Bob Wills tunes in this second part of a benefit to help Chris Gaffney's family happening this Wednesday at Jammin' Java. The first show at the Surf Club was a hoot- bands played with special guests sitting in including Bill Kirchen, the organizer and one of the greatest guitar gurus around. These benefits are unique showcases of local talent (with an emphasis on the word talent) Plus they are loads more fun than a telethon.
Click on the poster to see the all star line up, and all the details. ( if you don't recognize those names- here's a clue to some of the bands being represented-past and present: The Grandsons, The Slickee Boys, The Rosslyn Mountain Boys, The Hula Monsters and The Nighthawks)

Saturday Night Chez Baltimore

Friday night shows and the links to this one are one post below. Greenland has been added to the bill at The Quarry House tonight- show starts around 10.

Here's a little history lesson and more dope about Saturday night's show from Martha Hull lead singer extraordinaire of Ottley!:

This gig is the launch of Dollar Bin, which is a new project for Randy Austin, who in addition to many projects over the years, was the guitarist for DC's legendary first punk band to gig -- Overkill. They were contemporaries of the early Slickees, both bands managed by Steve Lorber and booked into the Keg in 1976. He is joined in this venture by Donald Keesing, who was in both a band called the White Zombies, and one called Rain Crow -- you can find both of them on myspace. On bass is Bob Young who currently plays with a wild Irish band called Dogs Among the Bushes, and also played bass in the 80's for Tru Fax and the Insaniacs. Dollar Bin will be up first, followed by Ottley! who are celebrating Ilona's 18th birthday by making this an all ages gig -- and reprising that Alice Cooper anthem with special guests, to boot! Seven Door is returning to the Sidebar, where they went over like gangbusters the first time around, and they have great things to say about this authentic punk bar

A Picture's Worth

I feel like I struck gold when Chip Py said he'd come out and take pictures of the bands for me. If you look at some of my older postings, you might see sort of lousy snapshots taken with my camera, or when I was really desperate, my phone, but it was better than nothing. Now all I have to do is relax if Chip's on the job, and hopefully he'll stick around because a girl could get used to this. Fast.
So if you couldn't make it to any of the Slickee Boys shows over the weekend, or if you did - you can get a good idea of what went on by heading over to Chip's site for more great shots like these two- plus more of The Beatnik Flies, Prabir and The Substitutes and The Howling Mad. Take it away photo guy. You rock.
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