Folk ensemble Handsome Hound decided to film their 2018 entry to NPR Music’s Tiny Desk Contest in front of a live audience. Ace portrait photog and Bathtub Republic resident Mark Williams Hoelscher shot the band’s entire show recently at Union Stage, and much of it has found its way to YouTube. “Austin”, the advance single from Handsome Hound’s debut full length album Mountain On Fire, also serves as the contest entry, hoping to woo Bob Boilen and judges with its unabashed love of America’s live music capital. The new album drops Friday May 18th with a show at the Black Cat featuring Dupont Brass and Lauren Calve.
Hometown Sounds
Showing The World How DC Rocks
Monthly Archives: April 2018
Presenting The Chuck Brown Band at the Millennium Stage
Hometown Sounds celebrates both the past and the future of #DCmusic with our April showcase at the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage with the classic go-go sounds of the Chuck Brown Band!
The Chuck Brown Band toured the world with the Godfather of Go Go for the most prolific period of his life, when he had 5 Billboard charting releases and a Grammy nomination over a ten year period. They continue to honor him by carrying the torch, keeping the beat alive and keeping the party going. Chuck Brown was always known for having only the best musicians from DC in his band. This often translated into having the best musicians, period. With the addition of Frank Sirius leading the band forward on guitar and vocals, the Chuck Brown Band is arguably the Crankin’est Band on the Planet. Chuck’s daughter KK has always been a part of the show, and Chuck’s son Wiley Brown has joined the band, keeping Chuck’s “Family Affair” vibe as much a part of the band as it is a part of the relationship between the band and the audience. Digging through the vault of Chuck Brown classics from Run Joe and Go-Go Swing to more recent hits like Chuck Baby and Beautiful Life as well as new material by the band interspersed with other Go-Go hits, the Chuck Brown Band combines the best of the Godfather and the best of Go-Go in an uplifting, show stopping performance. Infusing the Godfather’s mix of jazz, funk, and soul, along with audience call and response, his legacy continues. The Chuck Brown Band has been joined on stage by Ledisi, George Clinton, Dwele, Raheem DeVaughn, Lil Mo, Doug E Fresh, and others.
The Godfather may be gone, but his legacy continues as the Chuck Brown Band carries his funky groove forward without missing a B-E-A-T. Wind Us Up, Chuck!
RSVP here and come to the free performance at 6 PM on Thursday April 26th!
Don’t Stay Home This Week 4/02
If you like to go out every single night of the week, we have you covered. And even if you only have one night of live music in you, we’re here to help.
Monday 4/02:
DC area metal shows seem to have found synergy with the city’s indie brewing works. Monday night Atlas Brew Works hosts two Colorado bands, Primitive man and Spectral Voice, and two hometown gems, Ilsa and Genocide Pact. If the phrases “Home Is Where The Hatred Is”, “Eroded Corridors of Unbeing”, “Corpse Fortress” and “Order of Torment” speak to you, then you know where you need to be.
Tuesday 4/03:
The Black Squirrel is well known in Adams Morgan, but did you know they have an outpost in Virginia’s Dunn Loring? Songwriters’ Association of Washington hosts their Tuesday night open mike night, and Jason Mendelson, famous for writing songs about every single metro station in the system, is the featured performer. Here’s the song Mendelson wrote about Dunn Loring.
Wednesday 4/04:
Frank Mitchell Jr is one of the funkiest sax players in town, blowing for See-I, Black Masala, The Funk Ark, The Harry Bells and many more. His current group is Three Man Soul Machine, with Carter Stevens on organ and Mylie Durham IV on drums, and they hold down a residency the first Wednesday of the month at Colony Club on Georgia Avenue.
Thursday 4/05:
When Justin Trawick was coming up as a developing songwriter, he hit upon a winning formula to showcase the genre successfully to diverse audiences. His 9 Songwriter Series is still going strong, and this Thursday it hits Union Stage at the Wharf with featured performers including Sol Roots and Elena Lacayo.
Hometown Sounds 