Layover at DC9

Finally! I've been excited about this show for ages. People in Planes played an intimate show at DC9 this past Sunday and I finally got a chance to see how great this band is. Their first album, As Far as the Eye can See, has been on heavy rotation in my ipod since 2006 and their follow up, Beyond the Horizon, is around the corner. (Meaning the boys will be back in the fall for more shows!)

The band wrapped up early enough for them to have a few beers while packing up their gear and heading to New York. They were all gracious enough to sign my album and we even chatted up Ian Russell (awesome keyboardist) over Sambuca and Schlitz. Hopefully their move from Wales to NY will encourage frequent visits to DC!

Upcoming shows:

Timberwolf Division at the Velvet Lounge - Fri, 8/29

Summerbirds in the Cellar at The Red & Black - Tues, 9/02

The Veils at Rock & Roll Hotel - Sat, 9/06

Stereophonics at the 9:30 Club - Thurs, 9/11

Towelhead!

Alan Ball. Aaron Eckhart. Toni Collette. That was enough to make me eager for the movie. I wasn't disappointed! Thanks to E Street Cinema, DC was lucky enough to see Towelhead a month early AND get to meet Alan Ball. I've been a huge fan since American Beauty and Six Feet Under and was giddy when I got the chance to see the film screening.

Then I got uncomfortable. As usual, Alan Ball gave us flawed characters and taboo relationships to agonize over for a good two hours. You wanted to punch pretty much every adult character, hug a few of them, and adopt Jasira. Like always, the dark humor evened out what could be a sad and disturbing series of events. Cheers, Alan Ball!

And Then There Were Two

Man, was this a great show. There was a vibrant band, there was a great opener, there was a full bar, there were 16 year olds. It had all the elements of a great show. I've been a big fan of We are Scientists and finally had the chance to see them live. I'm so glad I finally got to do it! I was a bit worried since some fans were a bit miffed that the 3 man show is now a duo (Sorry to drummer, Michael Tapper who has since left the band.) Keith Murray and Chris Cain are thoroughly entertaining and I have to say, I enjoy the new album. Their "vaguely danceable" music had me at hello. I had the good fortune of meeting Keith Murray and bullying him into signing my cd for me. Thank you! If you're looking for a distraction from work, go and check out their videos. Aside from the great performance, I met another cool band, Apache Beat. This is an interesting collaboration. There's moody vocals (think Siouxsie and the Banshees or Concrete Blonde) and there's mad percussion. It works.

Coming up:

Mon, 8/04 - Cobra Collective and Exit Clov at Fort Reno

Mon, 8/11 - Grizzly Bears at the Historic Sixth and I Synagogue

Threesome at the Rock and Roll Hotel

Melancholy. Ambient. Experimental. Melodious. Sound familiar? Those of you who enjoy a little Radiohead, Sigur Ros, and Portishead may get a kick out of Bellflur. This local band does a good job of sticking to mellow, often melancholy, experimental, post-rock. I have been listening to the DC band at work in the past few weeks and had the good fortune of checking them out live. The boys played at the Rock and Roll Hotel the other night and have to say I was not disappointed.

Go Home Robot was the headlining band. Aside from being 4 funny guys, they are full of energy, and very entertaining. Their sound was a bit more polished and a mix of psychedelic rock, electronica and pop. Worth checking out!

And finally, Solar Powered Sun Destroyer...I really dug this band. They were the second to go on, making my night a great one. I have to say that I'm normally not all that thrilled with opening bands. Tonight was definitely an exception. This group is working on their first album, and I'd buy it. They remind me of a fight between Incubus and Radiohead for whatever reason. They're playing at the Velvet Lounge on 8/15 and would be worth the trip out.

Upcoming shows for anyone who wants to join in:

We are Scientists at the Black Cat on Sat, 8/02

Cobra Collective at Fort Reno on Monday, 8/04