We’re taking a break from the Tiny Desk Contest review for a timely introduction to Elena & Los Fulanos. The bilingual folk-rock band fronted by Elena Lacayo is currently raising money to record their second album, and with only one week left they are most of the way there. Tonight they play a show with powerful singer Lauren Calve at Haydee’s Restaurant, and even though there’s no cover charge, be sure to chip them all the scratch you can to help them out. Everyone’s looking to DC punk for protest music for 2017, but Elena is the one leading protest singalongs and penning heartfelt, scathing tracks like her newest, “Ponle Fin”.
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Category Archives: shows
The El Mansouris – The Greys
The El Mansouris are likely the only band ever to have headlined the 9:30 Club before actually publishing a single song. The band, composed of Alex Braden, Drew Hagelin, Fiona Kohrman, Margot MacDonald and Sam Raymond, have buzzed about DC playing shows for a couple of years now, teasing an album that is finally almost here thanks to DZ Tapes and Babe City Records. Sadly, the self-titled album‘s release also brings the band’s demise, as members move away and onto other projects. Their last hurrah is this Friday at Smith Public Trust, along with the swan song of another much hyped band, The Young Rapids. Watch bassist Drew Hagelin’s video for the single “The Greys” and catch this band one last time.
The Obsessives – Surfer Rosa
If you’re a fan of indie rock, you don’t need us to point out the reference in the title of the new single by The Obsessives. The duo of Nick Bairatchnyi and Jackson Mansfield have been playing together since the age of fifteen, making a big splash with their debut album Heck No, Nancy back in 2015. The pre-order is now live for their second album, self-titled this time on Lame-O Records, and the music video for “Surfer Rosa” is a playful attention-grabber. Director Corrinne James turns life into a weird video game with cartoonish flying saucers punishing our young rock stars for making the wrong choices. Don’t miss them playing at the 9:30 Club on Tuesday March 21st opening for Modern Baseball.
Be Steadwell – Precarious Place
Whether backed by full band or just her own looped voice, queer singer Be Steadwell‘s songs always cut deep and yet retain a warm friendliness. Because of her solo setup’s simplicity, and her drive to create, she often drops single-take live singing videos that are captivating with their honesty and authenticity. Her latest is a heartbreak song called “Precarious Place”, well worth clicking through to view her lyrics on YouTube as the song plays. Catch her live Thursday night December 8th at Busboys & Poets in Takoma engaging in a “healing musical dialouge” called Black Soul Mantra with cellist Monica ‘Spirit’ McIntyre.
Wylder – We’re On Our Way feat. Skout (Out Loud Session)
Hey, remember a month ago when we featured indie folk band Wylder playing an Out Loud Session? Here’s another live cut from the same rooftop, with singer Will McCarry and violinist Lavar Edmonds collaborating with Brooklyn’s Skout to cover “We’re On Our Way”, a song from the 2011 EP The Bastards Vol. 1 by Jacksonville FL’s Radical Face. Wylder opens for The Riverbreaks Saturday night at Gypsy Sally’s in Georgetown.
Kingsley Flood – To The Wolves
Kingsley Flood mostly live in Boston, but singer Naseem Khuri calls DC home, so we can share custody of this dynamic Americana rock band as long as they keep playing shows here. Their new and poignantly timed album is called Another Other and deals partially with Khuri’s racial identity as a Palestinian-American. Kingsley Flood is an interesting mix of the thoughtful, meaningful lyrics many DC bands pride themselves on, alongside fiddle-infused rock evolved from Boston’s prominent folk scene that spawned Guster and Dropkick Murphys. We speak from experience that their live show is top-notch, so don’t miss them celebrating their new album release alongside two of our fave DC acts, Fellow Creatures and Louis Weeks, Saturday night at Rock & Roll Hotel. Watch the band get kidnapped mid-song (by whom??) in their newest music video for “To The Wolves”.
The Galaxy Electric – Leaving
Enigmatic DC lounge-pop act The Galaxy Electric is now a part of the Blight. Records family. The expansive compilation BLIGHT. MAKES RIGHT, released today, proved to be the perfect spot for “Leaving”, a moody and introspective bonus track from their psychedelic debut album Everything is Light and Sound. Blight visual artist Jen Meller shot this music video in Super 8 at many recognizable DC locations, marrying the 60s musical vibe with a nostalgic home video style. The Galaxy Electric join Blight brethren Reignbeau, Stronger Sex and CrushnPain for a compilation release party tonight at DC9.
Wylder – Lantern (Out Loud Session)
With our ubiquitous monuments, distinguished architecture and low height requirements, DC’s rooftops are curiously generally untapped as music video locations. Over the summer, indie folk band Wylder joined Brooklyn singer Skout on a well-placed downtown DC rooftop to record a few songs for her picturesque Out Loud Sessions. Brighten up your Friday with a stripped down version of “Lantern”, from Wylder’s debut full length album Rain and Laura, featuring Will McCarry on vocals and guitar and Lavar Edmonds on violin. We really hope you won’t miss the full band opening for The Riverbreaks at Gypsy Sally’s in Georgetown on Saturday December 3rd.
Gordon Withers – Lost Thought
Arlington’s Galaxy Hut excels as a venue booking interesting and innovative music, especially in (or near) a neighborhood known for generic bar crawls and cover bands. Serving up a wide array of craft beers and quite fine grilled cheese and tots, you really owe it to yourself to cross the river and make an evening of exploring new sounds. Tonight Gordon Withers serves up improvisational cello music alongside Boston instrumental band Ghosts of Sailors at Sea, on whose new album he appears, and a new DC band called Numbers Station. Withers is most well known for his collaborations with Jawbox lead J. Robbins in the group Office of Future Plans, and his cello covers of Pink Floyd, The Joy Formidable and others are beautifully inspired. Our video today for Withers’ improvisational piece “Lost Thought” comes from Survive Vol. 1: The Holidays, a compilation and zine put out last December by Bad Friend Records.
Dot Dash – Flowers
Are you heading to the Hamilton tonight to catch Ian Hunter of Mott the Hoople fame? Then get to know your openers, the superbly-seasoned DC power-pop band Dot Dash. These musicians are vets of shoegaze and punk bands you’ve surely heard of, including Julie Ocean, Swervedriver, Glo-Worm and and Youth Brigade. This music video for “Flowers”, from their 2015 album Earthquakes & Tidal Waves, is charmingly lo-fi but subtly clever, so pay attention to the subliminal messages.
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