Live Review: Class Actress @ Red Palace, 2/5/2011

Initially, I was super excited to see the amazing double bill of Class Actress and Violens at the Red Palace. Then I was saddened to learn that Violens had canceled. But then, my loves, I was happy once again. Once Class Actress took the stage and started the party, all was weller than well. Elizabeth Harper and her pair of strapping touring knob-twiddlers brought some serious sonic class to DC, and it was so very sexy.

To me, the music churned out by NYC's Class Actress is the very essence of 80s glamour, what with the stunning voice possessed by Harper paired with the big, synthy beats. It's a glacially cool combination. There's a giddy breathlessness to this band, under all the polish and gloss, a near-urgency to get their point across. Harper looked the part of the chic songstress, in her extravagant, smashing fur coat, oversized white button-down shirt, and black leggings. For some reason, I look at Miss Harper and think Dynasty. The band sounds nothing if not luxurious, perfect for tooling around in your convertible BMW with your lip gloss shining and your man's collar popped. And I mean that in the best way possible.

The beats in the songs (and the stoic stance of the two dudes) were the perfect foil to Harper's honeyed, sophisticated whisper. They were slinky, they were slick, and they were very hard not to like. This is music that smacks of yacht lounging and jetsetting. Harper is a more than able vixen, and the songs are a great homage to the dancefloor days of old french kissing the dancefloor days in which we live. Definitely check Class Actress out when you can, they're well worth your effort.

mp3: Terminally Chill (Neon Indian Cover) (Class Actress - buy stuff!)

[photo by Ryan Koopmans]

Live Review: Pujol @ Comet Ping Pong, 2/4/2011

It was, for all intents and purposes, the week that wouldn't die, perhaps because I was so super stoked to see Pujol once again at Comet Ping Pong (touring with Monotonix). Once I arrived at the pizza/rock joint, I was amazed/pleased/impressed to see the concert room bursting at the seams. It was so packed that people were actually being turned away at the door, something I haven't seen at any venue around DC in quite a while. I could hardly see the stage for the heaving mass of people, but that was quite alright. I didn't need to see Pujol to get blown away once again.

With one of his band sporting a Bob Dylan circa Nashville Skyline hat, the band was ready to begin. "Fuckin' own that shit!" someone slurred drunkenly behind me, and own that shit they did. "We're all from Tennessee and we're gonna play some songs for you," Daniel Pujol proclaimed before the band ripped into their fantastic set. As I expected, based on my last live Pujol experience, the band was rougher and more raw live, though the poppy undertones remain amongst all that rowdy rock and rolling. The band was loud, raucous, and fearless. "We're gonna slow it down and be serious, Daniel said in his intro to "Butterflyknife," garnering loud cheers with the cool, easygoing slowdown with just a hint of bombast it presented among all the sweaty shimmying.

The set was over way, way too fast for my liking. But what a set it was. If you're in need of some sweet little rock and rollers, you can't do much better than the catchy as all hell song stylings of Pujol.

mp3: Too Safe (Pujol from Black Rabbit)

Live Review: Eternal Summers @ Red Palace, 1/16/2011

As some of you may recall, I went to quite a few shows last year. I was pretty burnt out after all of that, so I took a few weeks off, mostly for the purposes of getting more sleep. But then, along came a show I realized would be pretty dang silly to miss. And so it was that I found myself at the newly-minted Red Palace (Palace of Wonders + The Red & The Black) for the buzzy Eternal Summers. And all was joyous and wonderful.

I'm beginning to think Roanoke, VA, might be a magical place, y'all. Every band I know of from there is dynamite. Eternal Summers is yet another offshoot of the Magic Twig Community, and features two of my favorite Young Sinclairs (Eternal Summers recently welcoming Sinclairs drummer John Thompson to the fold as bassist). After this set, I'm jumping firmly on the Eternal Summers bandwagon, and am hereby dubbing them my most favorite of the Roanoke & Rollers.

The set, as I had been alerted to beforehand, was peppered with new songs the band was trying out. "Prisoner," "Cog," "Pure Affection," and "Child's Mind" should be on the new Eternal Summers EP (due out Marchish), and there were a couple untitled jams to boot. Each and every song, new or not-so-new, was delectable. Their sound, which to me falls in some delightful ether between 80s synthpop and 60s psych revivalism, with a sprinkling of that trendy surf thing, translated ever so well to the Red Palace stage. Even with a bit of a sore throat, Nicole Yun's voice was adorably enchanting, and Daniel Cundiff's rapidfire, thoroughbred drumming was deliriously good. The addition of Thompson to the group added immeasurably, adding another level of awesome to the songs. When they launched into my favorite track from the Silver record, "Silver," I think I might have gotten a chill. They proved to be kicky, fizzy, and rather sassy up there on the stage, and as they played I got the feeling that I was seeing a rather special band.

And there you have it, dearest loves. Eternal Summers have my stamp of approval as one of the rootin'-est, tootin'-est, good time-est bands around. You will, without a shadow of a doubt, be infinitely happier once you've let Eternal Summers into your life.

mp3: Pogo (Eternal Summers from Silver)

100 Shows of 2010 - #98: Coasting @ Comet Ping Pong, 12/15/10

You know what happens when you assume, no? You make an ass of you and me. Well, friends, this is doubly true when it comes to going to shows. Don't ever, ever assume that you're right about the timing of a show, because sometimes you might just be wrong. Why the lecture on timeliness, you might wonder? It's because, sadly, yours truly had an unfortunate incident with timing lately. And I can say now with certainty that working late is sometimes not the best way to make timeliness happen for a show. I missed a whole lotta Coasting because of this itty bitty timing debacle, and I'm still bummed about it. However, what I saw was pretty daggum awesome. I suppose that serves as some small modicum of solace.

MINI RECAP: Coasting = Super Swell! Overall Score: B+

So like I said, I kinda missed a hefty portion of the Coasting set. Which is really too bad, because what I was hearing was totally making my night. They rock somethin' fierce, and it only takes two of 'em to make that killer noise of theirs. Fiona and Madison definitely have some skills. I was way digging on their smoky, sexy brand of surf rock meets film noir meets big bastard rock and roll. The vocals can be girl group sweet or bitchingly biting, and the guitars and drums follow suit. This, my little sweethearts, is one badass band. It was a whole lotta glorious noise, and I was black and blue from kicking myself about not witnessing the whole set. I shall clear my schedule for the next time, dangit.

Here's hoping the New Year sees Coasting getting back out there on the road. Once they've dug out from under all that snow, that is.

mp3: What You Want (Coasting - buy Coasting music HERE) (thanks to the radness of Neu Magazine for the songness)

100 Shows of 2010 - #97: S. Carey/White Hinterland @ Rock'n'Roll Hotel, 12/14/10

We've all got countless choices to make, each and every day. Some are pretty dang hard, while others are no-brainers. I made one of the latter decisions not long ago, when faced with the terribly sad news of the postponement of the Steve Mason show. I had two options: stay home and mope, or go out into the Baltic chill and see some pretty daggum good live music. Fear not, friends, common sense prevailed, and I was soon out and about enjoying an evening filled with good tunes by S. Carey and White Hinterland. Sometimes those changes of plan turn out to be a little bit of alright.

MINI RECAP: White Hinterland = Winsomely Haunting! S. Carey = Somberly Cuddly! Overall Score: B

Despite the slap-in-the-face cold of the evening, all was warm and cozy at the Rock'n'Roll Hotel when I arrived. I'd like to think White Hinterland had something to do with this. I must confess, when I first walked in I had to sort of test myself as to what year it was, because coming from the stage seemed to be a nouveau trip-hop sound (a trend repeated in several songs during the set). The beats were slow and hypnotic, trancelike and sultry and a perfect backdrop for the majorly haunting voice of Casey Dienel. Dienel's voice proved breathy, playful, come-hither, and forlorn all at once, sometimes even during the course of one song. An unexpected and awesome cover of Monica's "Don't Take It Personal" was given a smooth, silky treatment, and made for a great choice for the set. The music of White Hinterland is rather atmospheric, perfect for trying to warm up on such a bloody cold December evening.

Given the Bon Iver association, you'd expect Sean Carey (AKA S. Carey) and his band of friends to have a little bit of a rustic, woodsy sadness to them. Well, they definitely did. There was more to the band than that, though, which surprised and cheered me. Full of pretty gentleness, S. Carey could just as quickly build hulking, noisy crescendos with more than a little aggression. For his part, Carey's voice is nothing short of lovely, honey-thick and very magnetic. After a couple songs I felt much better about not seeing Steve Mason, and really began to enjoy their set. "Mothers" showed off the pervasive sweetness in the songs, as well as some glorious harmonizing. Their pitch, my friends, is pretty much perfect. And the sudden rocking out at the end of the song was quite a pleasant surprise. Sentimentality coursed through their songs, with no short supply of nostalgia and wistfulness. Forays into random instrumental meanderings were much appreciated. There was something rather charming about them, very honest.

Though I was (and still am) bummed not to see Mr. Mason, these two bands definitely helped ease the pain. From the almost stark beauty of White Hinterland to the lushness of S. Carey, it was a night well spent.

mp3: In The Dirt (S. Carey from All We Grow)

mp3: In The Stream (S. Carey from All We Grow)

100 Shows of 2010 - #96: Stornoway @ Black Cat, 12/5/10

I must confess it to be true, darlings, that my little heart goes all aflutter for those folksy bands that strum so very tenderly and sing so very sweetly (let's call it my Fanfarlo syndrome). So, naturally, I was deliriously delighted to venture out and see what Stornoway, the latest of such Brit folk exports, could do live and in person. As it happens, this group of Oxfordians and South Africans managed to warm the cockles of my cold, black heart. Well, maybe not totally. But they sure did manage to give it quite a thaw.

MINI RECAP: Stornoway = Splendidly Sweet! Overall Score: B+

The set began with a mournful, chilling intro courtesy one violin, precluding what was to come in a beautiful, yet rather sad way. Stornoway claims to be influenced by the sea, and you can definitely hear it in their music. Their moody, passionate folksiness conjured up images of small, coastal towns stark and lovely under endless drizzling grey skies, dark waves crashing along the craggy coastline for miles with churning relentlessness. "Boats and Trains" was a favorite, aching as it was, and for some reason reminding me of Van Morrison. I got a kick out of the fact that, like Elbow and their great song/album "Asleep In The Back", the jaunty, grand strut of "Beachcomber's Windowsill" wasn't on the debut record, though the record is in fact called Beachcomber's Windowsill. I loved the almost violent instrumentation, though of course the band was never anything but pretty.

"Fuel Up" was full of thos earnest, folktastic vocals that I suspect Stornoway will become known for. It struck me that there's something rather pure and unsullied about this band. And oh my, those harmonies were magic. During "I Saw You Blink" I had the thought that there seems to be something rather traditional about their songs, but given a trendy folk twist. But not in a put-on kinda way or anything. Even the way singer Brian Briggs addressed the crowd was endearing, a sort of hesitant shyness that was adorable and enchanting. After charmingly relaying a yarn about some Yorkshire folks that were stuck in a pub for 8 days and drank the place dry, the band launched into "On The Rocks", "a wintry song for you," quoth Briggs. And indeed, 'twas very wintry indeed, the chill of their seaside-inspired tales comign across all gorgeousness. "November Song" was probably my favorite song of the night, Briggs and his acoustic calling to mind trad folk of days of yore. It was quite a captivating moment in time.

They came, they saw, they folked it up. If you, like me, get the yen for some folktastic brilliance every now and then, friends, you might just want to check out the boys of Stornoway.

mp3: Fuel Up (Stornoway from Beachcomber's Windowsill)

100 Shows of 2010 - #95: The Antlers/The Luyas @ Black Cat, 12/4/10

I'm gonna operate under the assumption that everyone knows what an antler is. But a luya? Let alone multiple luyas? Kudos to you if you knew the answer without looking it up. But I digress, as I so often do. All you really need know about The Luyas is that they, like The Antlers with whom they played this here show, are splendid. Delightful. And downright fabulous. It is a lucky girl indeed who can go to a show and experience one great band. But two? I consider myself unfairly lucky on this one, friends. Yessiree.

MINI RECAP: The Luyas = Lovely Loves! The Antlers = Astounding Astounders! Overall Score: A

The Luyas was already raring to go by the time I got parked and got myself out of the cold. To have been greeted by such a glowing, ethereal noise was a beautiful thing indeed. I found them both captivating and extremely interesting, these Luyas. They managed to call to mind my love of British bands of yore with the jangle of the guitar, while maintaining a lovely innocence and naïveté with pretty, sweetly childlike lady vocals. Their songs were complex in arrangement and beautiful to hear. They charmed with banter, too, relaying a hilarious story about hearing a "lucky couple" through the wall of a hotel while on the road who, when finished, put on some post-coital gangsta rap. After brief interludes like that it was back to the enchantment of their dreamlike, haunting tunes. Throwing in the odd dash of funk and fuzz just made me like them even more. Their set was such a delight, full of music with a twinkle in its eye and a skip in its step. It was like listening to a fairytale. As written, perhaps, by Sophia Coppola, perhaps.

When last I saw The Antlers, it was the end of February and they were opening for Editors over there at the 9:30 Club. It was a mighty fine show, and I was mighty looking forward to seeing them headline at the mighty fine Black Cat. And yes, it was just as mighty fine as I had hoped. I loved their set immediately, with the slightly sinister fringes building into one heck of a swell of lovely noise. They strike me as very theatric, this band, with their gloomy, brooding tendencies (in addition to their collective proclivity for making serious noise). I'm thinking I must have kinda forgotten just how very good they were when I saw them with Editors, because they about knocked me over, so fantastic were they. At times, they chased epicness, and it was glorious. Even the songs that weren't quite as sturm und drang felt solemn, but with a little bit of sunshine peeking through the clouds. But really, the bite of intensity this band gets when breaking into a spasm of extra serious rocking out? Sublime, darlings. Sublime.

In conclusion, I can say but this, friends. Goodness gracious me.

mp3: Tiny Head (The Luyas [newish song] - buy debut Faker Death)

mp3: VCR (The xx Cover) (The Antlers - buy shit here) (thanks to Captain Obvious for a mighty fine covers mixtape!)

100 Shows of 2010 - #93: The Ferocious Few @ 9:30 Club, 11/27/10

Sometimes I find myself way, way, way more excited about an opening band than a headliner. Either a band I'm totally digging or curious about gets added to a random major act's bill, or a band I'm totally digging or curious about is opening for some other indie band. It's not an everyday occurance, but it does happen quite a bit. And it happened recently, when I went to witness the live fury of those two dear San Franciscans Daniel and Francisco known to one and all as The Ferocious Few. Most of the packed house was quite possibly there specifically for the main event, Miss Cyndi Lauper (who Chris reviewed a few days ago), but yours truly was there for naught but the Few. And my friends, do they ever put on one heck of a rock&roll show.

MINI RECAP: The Ferocious Few = Wolfishly Fierce! Overall Score: B+

Sometimes touring with a major musical force must be a little bit of a challenge. After all, you've got to deal with the hordes of people who are attending this show solely for the purpose of seeing their beloved headliner, and have no interest whatsoever in whatsoever opening band is warming up on whatsoever evening. In such cases, the bands have to work terribly hard to turn heads and open ears. Luckily, I think The Ferocious Few was up to the challenge of winning over all of those 80s nostalgists (and their kids!), and I saw quite a few bobbing heads and attentive eyes directed their way during their (not nearly long enough!) set.

Many of you will know how much I loved (i.e. LOVED) the record Juices, the fine, fine filthy rock outing by these Ferocious Few. That raw, predatory straight-up rock of theirs sends shivers up my spine and then some. And mercy me, it did the same dang thing to me in the flesh. And then some. "Me And The Devil", one of my most favorite tracks off Juices, was rampantly on-edge, showing off the Few's (un)holy trinity of Francisco's impossibly perfect vocals, razor-sharp guitars, and Daniel's skin-lashing drumming. It's simple, but classic. Sometimes it does only take two to make a thing go very, very right. I was also particularly fond of "The San Francisco Song", just Francisco and his guitar, prettily-strummed and provoking of thought ("I got no desire to be a fly-by-night radio sensation").

I got one heck of a kick out of Francisco's introduction to the snarling "Gasoline & Cocaine", as he smirkingly called it a "song about sustainability." Daniel's arms and legs were furiously akimbo during this song in particular, giving him an almost Gumby-ian presence behind his kit as he smashed the drums with animalistic strikes. They closed it down with "Crazy Love", the perfect song for those ragged tinges in Francisco's tremendous yet tender voice, fierce and lonely all at once.

As good as they were, and believe you me little loves they were very good indeed, I can't wait to see these two live in a smaller venue, headlining in their own right. I can't even imagine the levels of awesome that might be reached.

mp3: Porcelain Doll (The Ferocious Few from Juices) (song from the most excellent Bay Bridged)

Newsflash!: Win Tickets to Steve Mason @ Red Palace 12/14!

Dearest loves, the Steve Mason-ness just won't stop today! We've got one heck of a treat for you, yes you (well, you if you happen to be in the DC metro area or willing to come to the DC metro area on a Tuesday night, that is).

We've got a pair of tickets, courtesy Domino Records, to see Steve perform song after glorious song over at the newly-merged Red Palace on Tuesday, December 14th. If that's not a reason to look forward to a Tuesday night, I don't know what is. All you need to do to win the tickets is holler at us and tell us why you should be the one who wins. We'll alert the winner the day before the show. So have at it, y'all. You've got until noon EST on 12/13. And good luck.

mp3: Boys Outside (Keep Shelly In Athens Remix) (Steve Mason from Boys Outside)

100 Shows of 2010 - #90: Liturgy @ Comet Ping Pong, 11/19/10

It is amazing sometimes what a change of scenery can do to the way one thinks about music. During my two and a half relatively awesome years living down in Richmond, capital city of the Commonwealth of Virginia, my musical parameters were expanded more than perhaps any other time in my music-loving life. While my time in Richmond was full of goodness, that one thing seems to take precedence over anything else: The Major Expansion of My Musical Sensibilities (yeah, it warrants all those caps, believe you me). Not only did I develop a deeper love and appreciation for important musical geniuses of the past, but so too did my cold black heart take a liking to a rather unexpected genre: Metal. After all, Richmond is a very metal city. Any given night of any given metal show, throngs of people will emerge to nod their heads and suck down can after can of PBR. The love that city has for that scene pulled me in, and while I'm still not ready to pledge full-on allegiance to the metal gods just yet, this proclivity towards warm fuzzy metal love meant I was way excited to see the much-buzzed about black metal glory of Liturgy as they ventured down from Gotham and played DC. My friends, it was hell on wheels. Which, as you might suspect, is a very, very good thing indeed.

MINI RECAP: Liturgy = Unholy Hellions! Overall Score: A

I knew, from the very first note, that this would be quite possibly one of the loudest sets I'd seen this year. I was equally excited by and horrified by this idea. The Richmond in me immediately loved them to pieces, full as they are of sonic abuses. They quite amusingly sent some kids fleeing from the room, whereas the litany of noise drew in others. "Fuck yeah," someone yelled after harrowingly heavy opening song "High Gold", and really, he got it in one.

I stood there, friends, totally enthralled, letting wave after vicious wave of fury and ferocity wash over me. During second song "Sun of Light" I decided this is a very, very good band. The way they can express acute agony and darkness through the furious slaughter of guitar riffs, or an anguished howl, is second to none. They were nothing short of overpowering. Unlike a lot of metal I've seen, though, there was a certain sense of control in their performance, and a definite sense of beauty somewhere there amongst the crushing blows of their musical assault. I'll liken it to, say, staring at a work of art you don't necessarily get. Jackson Pollock comes to mind. Some folks just don't see the beauty there in those splatters, but some of us do. And believe me when I say to you, friends, there is something very beautiful in the tortuous racket made by Liturgy.

The band seemed consumed by the task at hand at all times, stopping for only the briefest interaction with the crowd before resuming their mission. The songs were brutal, each and every one, but damned if I didn't love 'em all. In a way, I think they've raised the stakes. It's no longer just about how insanely, wake-the-dead loud you can be, or how you toss your long, flowing locks. These songs have purpose, drive and they made a delicate gal like me feel all a-twitter with fury. They killed their set seven ways to Sunday, and converted me in just six songs.

If you're even slightly intrigued by the dark arts of black metal, you owe it to yourself to check out a live Liturgy show. Hell, even if you hate metal, go see 'em. Just because.

mp3: Ecstatic Rite (WFMU Session) (Liturgy from Renihilation)

100 Shows of 2010 - #89: Twin Shadow @ Black Cat, 11/15/10

Of all the days of the week, Monday somehow requires good music most of all. Something with a little kick to it, of course. Something that feels a little like a party. No, make that a partay. And hey hey, my my, Twin Shadow was in town on a Monday. If anyone knows how to make a mundane Monday into a funtacular time, I'm pretty convinced it's them (well, George Lewis, Jr., & some amigos).

MINI RECAP: Twin Shadow = Cure For The Common Monday! Overall Score: B+

It was busy as can be down in the Black Cat backstage, patrons galore gathered to see what the buzz was all about. As soon as Twin Shadow began, the mystery was solved. This little conglomeration of good time kids knows how to show a gal a good time, that's for dang sure. Pleasingly all over the place sonically, the noisemakers pinged back and forth between crazy tropical-esque dance rock, Janet Jackson "Nasty Boys"-era spiciness, straight up infectiousness, and all sorts of synthy seduction. I mean, dancefloor dreamery? Shades of John Hughes flicks? Sass? You might could say I found it all rather enjoyable, to say the least.

The more I heard, the more I liked. And really, isn't that how it's supposed to go? I'd love to hear the Twin Shadow take on Nat King Cole's golden standard "Unforgettable", which I'm pretty sure was mentioned by the band during the set (unless I just made that up, in which case I might be a genius). I'm way smitten by the shimmer and feistiness of the overall affair, and would hazard a guess that the next time Twin Shadow comes back to town, it'll probably be somewhere with a much larger capacity.

I left the club with a smile on my face and sunshine on my mind. Go see Twin Shadow live whenever possible, y'all. Oh, and hey Europe. Twin Shadow is coming for you and your dancing shoes early next year! Be ready to drink and dance and have one humdinger of a time.

mp3: Slow (Twin Shadow from Forget)

100 Shows of 2010 - #85: Terribly Good #1 Starring The Loom, SEAS, Boy Without God & Sister Ex @ Velvet Lounge, 11/5/10

November. Oft looked upon as a cheerless, depressing, overwhelmingly blah kinda month, I'd say the poor thirty not-October, not-December days get a bad rap. As far as I'm concerned, there's been a whole lot of awesome happening in November thus far, and it's only gonna get better. One of these moments of superfabulousness happened when yours truly aided and abetted one rather fantastic little rock and roll show over at the Velvet Lounge. There was rock. There was twang. There was folking it up. I'd like to think all and sundry had as daggum a good time as I did, because I was quite pleased with the night. Look for us to get up to more gig mischief in the future. But for now, here's how things went down.

MINI RECAP: Sister Ex = Rocked It! Boy Without God = Smoked It! SEAS = Killed It! The Loom = Burned It! Overall Score: A

Sadly, I didn't get to see much of the Sister Ex set. But the little I did see was rather promising. Taking cues from all things loud and snarling, the band ripped through their songs, anchored by the slightly metallic sneer of vocalist Claudia Neuman. If your ears are a fan of serious rock, well, you might be interested in this here band.

Things started to get seriously wicked awesome next, as Bostonians Boy Without God did their thing. A very, very interesting mix of placid noise, raw nerve lyrics, and the occasional ambling and way expansive instrumental, BWG most certainly showed the crowd a darned good time. I found myself very intrigued indeed by their jangly mess of sound, and heartily recommend them.

Third on the bill were locals (and LET pet) SEAS. Yeah, today I'm using all caps. Every time I see Ben Green and his co-conspirators live, I love them just a teensy bit more. The strummery of SEAS, along with hints of twang and whiffs of somewhere desolate and beautiful, cannot be matched. The best way to test whether I'm right is to get out there and get you some SEAS. Trust.

The nightcap was provided courtesy another pet band, this time hailing from the land of the Brooklyners, The Loom. Their Appalachia-by-way-of-Metropolis sound gets me every time. The band makes a noise that is intimate and comfortable, despite being intricate, much the way a fireside gathering in the dead of a Northeastern winter can be. The first time I saw them was no fluke. This band is the real deal, y'all.

I had an absolute blast working on this show, and just want to quickly thank the bands and everyone who came out to spend their Friday night with us. We'll all have to do this again sometime. And in the meantime, give these bands some love, y'all.

mp3: Valley Of The Fevers (Alternate) (SEAS from Now My Home Is a Beech Tree)

mp3: Song For The Winter Sun (The Loom from the forthcoming Teeth)

100 Shows of 2010 - #84: The Phantom Band @ 9:30 Club, 11/1/10

Of all the shows I've been totally excited about this year, there's one show that stands alone thus far as my most highly-anticipated show of the year. That, friends, would be those deliriously delightful Scots of The Phantom Band, otherwise known as the apples of mine eye. Ever since yours truly first heard the siren song of their record Checkmate Savage, I was in smit with their rugged, weird, glorious noise. So it was only natural for me to want to see the fantasticalness of those songs in the flesh. I probably would have been crushed beyond salvaging if the boys had been anything other than as wonderful as I had hoped. Thankfully, they were amazing.

MINI RECAP: The Phantom Band = Ya Dancer! Overall Score: A

They might have been the first band of the night, ladies and gentlemen, but as good as both Plants & Animals and Frightened Rabbit were, and they were very very good, this show was all about The Phantom Band, at least as far as I'm concerned. Their set was superb from the very beginning, putting forth as they did an astonishing rendition of "Throwing Bones" that sounded inescapably loud and haunting and just plain wonderful. Truth be told, I was there for the Checkmate Savage stuff, but it was rather interesting to get an earful of the offerings from sophomore record The Wants (don't worry, I'm sure I'll foam at the mouth about it soon). The new songs were rather a departure from the older, and took the band out of the glens and into the dancehalls. The darkness of their overall sound with some quite danceable beats made for one hell of a juxtaposition.

One of the stratospheric highs of the set came when the band launched into "Folk Song Oblivion", my second favorite of all Phantom Band songs. The sound, which ambles and rambles anyway, seemed even bigger yet even more stark than on record. Your guess is as good as mine, friends. However possible, it was magic. They have a way, much like British Sea Power to whom I think they are distantly related, sonically-speaking, of incorporating, intentionally or not, the natural landscapes of their motherland into their music. They can be terrifying, enthralling, and beautiful, and oftentimes all at once. My one complaint, albeit a minor one, was the omission of my absolute favorite song "Halfhound" from the set. Next time, please, lads.

I'm just gonna go ahead and state definitively that The Phantom Band is one of the best live bands around. They are louder, they are much more interesting, and they are inherently more charming than about 95% of bands out there. So do yourself a favor and embrace the brogue. You'll be ever so pleased you did.

mp3: Walls (The Phantom Band from The Wants)

mp3: Folk Song Oblivion (The Phantom Band from Checkmate Savage)

Otherwise Engaged: Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti/Os Mutantes

It is an unfortunate reality for the serious concertgoer that on occasion, there will be more than one show on any given night that you really, really, REALLY wanna go to. Since the vast majority of us don't own a time machine, nor have the ability to either clone ourselves or split ourselves in half (or thirds or quarters, depending on the night in question), this tends to present a problem. Difficult decisions are made based on a multitude of variables (perhaps some of you even make lists of pros and cons), and ultimately, a show is chosen. But those other shows are still gonna be killer, and I'd like to give a little face time to the shows that, while I can't go myself, are highly recommended all the same.

One could say that all things weird and wonderful, all sounds great and small were made by the Animal Collective-approved Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti and the bewitchingly bizarre Os Mutantes. There’s gonna be all sorts of psychy-electro-trippy-dippy wackiness happening when LA meets Brasil and new school meets old school at the 9:30 Club this very evening. I suspect there might also be a whole lotta dancefloor action, as well. If you're in the DC area and in need of something to do this holiday evening, consider yourself booked. Just make sure to bring your dancing shoes.

mp3: Round and Round (Little Loud Remix) (Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti from Before Today)

100 Shows of 2010 - #83: Local Natives @ 9:30 Club, 10/28/10

I tell you what, y'all. The day of the Local Natives show was pretty craptastic, which made it all the more imperative that my soul be soothed by the most excellent sonic splendor of Local Natives. I realize it's a heavy burden to place such an emotional crutch on a traveling band, but I was fairly sure Local Natives could handle the pressure. After all, this is a band that's made the leap from DC's smaller venues to the legendary 9:30 Club in a matter of months. The sold out crowd was abuzz with anticipation, and we all waited to see just how much the seriously amazing (on record) band could bring it in person. The answer, of course, was a whole heck of a lot. Witness, my friends, live musical awesomeness.

MINI RECAP: Local Natives = Lusciously Noisy! Overall Score: A

Striding out to David Bowie's "Modern Love", the band worked the crowd into a frothy lather of love from the word go. The band was, inconceivably, better live than on record. From the ferocious feistiness, rollicking rollers, and big badness, Local Natives was nigh on brilliant. A cover of the Talking Heads track "Warning Sign" proved a good move, with the prettiness of the Natives adding new dimensions to the oft abrasive Heads. When it came to their own songs, the band at times gave me chills. "Wide Eyes" was particularly stunning, verging on haunting as the notes soared and filled every molecule of the room (well, every molecule that wasn't already crammed with people). It was at this moment that someone standing near me opined, "They're not bad," and I'd venture to say that's one of the biggest understatements of the year.

"Shapeshifter" was another goosebump-inducer, while slightly less china-delicate than on Gorilla Manor it was still glorious, a hazy swirl of loveliness. For some reason, at times I found myself thinking of that Kings of Convenience record, Quiet is the New Loud, and how Local Natives kinda turns that sentiment on its ear, seeing as they can somehow do both simultaneously and quite splendidly.

I'll say this, whatever voodoo those boys do got me feeling all better. My shitty day instantly became a thing of the past, lost in the ether, as those sunny sounds took hold of my brain. Local Natives is definitely proof that some fine live music can heal your soul.

mp3: Wide Eyes (Local Natives from Gorilla Manor)

Newsflash!: Win Tickets to Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti!

Dear DC friends! Do you have plans Thursday evening? No? Well, you could! We've got a pair of tickets to see the weird and wonderful tour pairing of Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti and Os Mutantes, as they take over the 9:30 Club for what will surely be a night of splendid sonic insanity. And you could be going! Simply drop us a line and tell us why YOU should go to the show. Winner will get a pair of tickets! Simple as that. Contest closes tonight at 10 EST, so get your skates on! Here's a fancy remix to get you in the mood.

mp3: Round and Round (Little Loud Remix) (Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti from Before Today)

100 Shows of 2010 - #82: Die Antwoord/Rye Rye @ 9:30 Club, 10/27/10

Some of you quite very possibly remember a little band called the KLF. They came from Britain, and they got the kids movin' and groovin' with their big bastard songs. They reached rather stratospheric heights of popularity, and even went as far as to burn one million pounds, just because, well, they could. Turns out, it was all a big joke. Fast forward to now and we have perhaps another example of the joke band phenomena. When it comes to South African duo Die Antwoord, one must ask "are they or aren't they" when it comes to being legit. Bona fide bandness aside, one thing probably can't be disputed. Seeing Die Antwoord live is a pretty amusing and entertaining way to spend an evening.

MINI RECAP: Rye Rye = For Real! Die Antwoord = Who Cares! Overall Score: B+

Ok, so you can totally question whether Die Antwoord is for real or not. However, this question most certainly cannot be asked of Miss Rye Rye. No sir. No way. No how. This lady is all sorts of for real. I mean, anyone who brings along three strapping, shirtless fly boy dancers cannot possibly be anything other than straight up For Real. From the giant mega beats and seriously funked up grooves to the early 90s nod of the dancers (including Lady Rye Rye herself, let it not be said that chickadee doesn't work hard up on that stage), her set was mostly killer, very little filler. You can see why MIA is a fan of hers, what with the sassy lyrics and intrepid dance moves. I was beyond impressed by this girl, y'all. Hot damn.

Die Antwoord, oh Die Antwoord. Are you faking it? I have to say, I probably am closer to believing in their KLF-ness than their legitness. But that begs a question of its own: Does that even matter? When it comes to being straight up entertained, Die Antwoord, faux or no, get the job done. Their DJ, especially, impressed me. Behind that silly ape mask is a man (or large lady) who knows how to lay down some bitchin beats. The dastardly duo out front, too, know how to work a crowd. The pauses between some songs were too long and gaping, but the banter and the overall stage presence were pretty fine overall. And they worked the rather large crowd into quite a lather. They seem to be obsessed with ninjas, though, but who doesn't like a good ninja every now and then? Perhaps Die Antwoord does have a case of the KLFs, but perhaps sometimes it's good to have a giggle at the sillier side of the music industry. And hey, if they're totally serious, well, that's also pretty funny.

I wasn't expecting too much out of this night, for some reason, but I have to say I had a really good time. On the one hand, Miss Rye Rye threw down some serious good times, and on the other hand, well, there was the tomfoolery of Die Antwoord. And I had a smile on my face all night.

mp3: Enter The Ninja (Die Antwoord from $O$)

Reminder!: We're Throwing a Rock'n'Roll Party!

Not that y'all would have forgotten, but just to tickle your little gray cells, here comes a friendly reminder from us to you. Tomorrow night is when some serious awesome is gonna go down over at the Velvet Lounge, and we sure do hope you're gonna be there with us to enjoy it. To reiterate, here is what you need to know. See you tomorrow night.

We're pleased as punch to be sponsoring one heck of a doozy of a show, if I do say so myself. I guarandamntee the Velvet Lounge is the place to be on Friday, November 5th. If you've got plans, break 'em. A date? Bring 'em along! Bring your mama, your best friend, and your side piece for what will without a doubt be one heck of a show. For starters, Baltimore's (and DC's) Sister Ex will bring some rock to the table. Then, Boston's own Boy Without God will bring a little beauty to your life. To cap it off, we've finagled not one but two of our pet bands into playing for the enjoyment of each and every one of you: Seas (DC) and The Loom (NYC). See how much we love y'all? There is so much goodness to be had I just don't know what to do with myself. And all for the bargain bonanza price of $8. Seriously. SERIOUSLY.


mp3: Narrows (Seas from Now My Home Is A Beech Tree)

Newsflash: John Olsson Dead at 78

I've got a really big case of the sads this evening, my friends. I just heard the no good news that John Olsson, otherwise known to legions of Washingtonians as founder and guiding force between much-loved and much-missed book/music hybrid chain Olssons, had died on October 28th of a heart attack at the age of 78. The Post has all the details.

This loss isn't just sad because of what Olsson did for Washington. It's got personal resonance, too. I spent a couple very happy years at the Olssons on 7th Street in Penn Quarter, doling out sage and frequently unsolicited music advice, and will always consider those days some of the happiest and most professionally (and personally) fulfilling of my entire life. The people I met there, the friends I worked with, the things I learned...so much goodness crammed into such a short span of time, and none of it would have been possible without Mr. Olsson. He touched so many lives, be it directly or indirectly as the case may be, and it truly saddens me to reflect on the death of a Washington institution. I will forever curse the Big Bad Corporate Bookstores for leading to the demise of local places, not just here, but all over the dang place. DC was already a slightly duller place without the Olssons chain, and now it is even duller without the man himself. Rest in peace, Mr. Olsson. You are already missed.

[Photo by James A. Parcell]

100 Shows of 2010 - #81: Turbo Fruits/Pujol @ Comet Ping Pong, 10/22/10

I don't know about y'all, but when Friday night rolls around, I either want to throw on pajamas right after work and be in bed by 10, or I wanna rock the fuck out and get my face melted off by seriously amazing music, preferably with a cocktail or five in hand. On this particular Friday I went for the latter, venturing out to Comet Ping Pong for the first time ever, and in doing so made the musical acquaintance of two bands from Tennessee who all sorts of rocked my world. Behold, my compadres, the live musical wonder that is Pujol and Turbo Fruits.

MINI RECAP: Pujol = Lewd & Rude! Turbo Fruits = Lewder & Ruder! Overall Score: A

Full discosure, it'd been a long time since I went anywhere on the Rock Creek Parkway. I kinda sorta got a little lost on the way, which meant I missed a few Pujol songs. Which I was, and still am, really bummed about. Because friends, this set, or what I saw of it, was killer. The music of Daniel Lucca Pujol, otherwise known as Pujol, is short, sweet, and simple. More than anything, it fucking rocks. Those little tunes, as knocked out by Pujol along with some help from his friends, were easy and freewheelin', not to mention nice and loud. The attitude was all right, feisty and seriously sassy. The crowd was way into it, which includes the opinion of yours truly. This band grooved and rocked and shimmy-shaked all over the damn place. Hot damn indeed. Unless you happen to be a St. Louis Cardinals fan, this is the best damn Pujol around (or Pujols, as the case may be).

The venue was perfect for these bands. Comet Ping Pong has no true "stage," meaning the bands are on the same level as the paying punters. The in-your-face thing is perfect for bands like Pujol and Turbo Fruits, who drawlingly snarl and sneer their way into your grill as it is. And so it was that, the flag of the state of Tennessee draped behind the drumkit and Enya's "Sail Away" blaring out of the speakers, Turbo Fruits picked up their instruments and unleashed the rock. From opening song "Trouble", I knew it was in for a treat. The song, the set, and the band was utterly infectious. I'd place them as in the vein of Kings of Leon (WAY before the MOR suckage, folks, keep your pants on, I'm talkin' about first EP stuff) with hearty doses of the bratty snarl of Atlanta boys The Black Lips, with an overall swagger and presence impressive for a new band. These boys alone were worth getting lost on that damn Parkway for. Sweet mercy, brothers and sisters. Sweet Mercy. Turbo Fruits is a little bit country and a WHOLE lotta rock&roll. The sound swelled into the small room, turning my brain into sludge with their rocking out. I got the sense that this is a band that could go from zero to Pete Townshend (i.e mass instrument destruction) in six seconds flat. Hair tossin', drum poundin', and brutal guitar riffin'. And melodiousness too? Bonus. Can't beat that with a stick. No sirree. "Thanks for havin' us," said they, "We love your women." And Turbo Fruits, we women of DC love you (well, this one sure does).

Both of these bands ruled the roost with their sweaty, raw rock&roll, and subsequently my love for them is off the charts. This, friends, is music to be heard in close quarters. So step on it, cuz I suspect you won't get a chance to see them in small environs for too much longer.

mp3: Butterflyknife (Pujol from the All At the Same Time EP)

mp3: Mama's Mad Cos I Fried My Brain (Turbo Fruits from Echo Kid)