Perhaps you’re familiar with DC’s reputation for “doing the standing still” at shows. Garage rock duo Venray clearly want you shake your money maker, and have provided visual inspiration in the un-official music video for “No Place”, the new single from their upcoming EP dropping later this year. It’s a fun romp through some classic TV footage. Show off your dance moves tonight at Songbyrd as Venray opens for DC’s Caustic Casanova and A Deer A Horse from NYC.
Hometown Sounds
Showing The World How DC Rocks
2DCAT – Delaware Is Burning
Today is Super Tuesday, with Virginia voters casting their ballots for the Democratic candidate for President. Synthwave duo 2DCAT is looking ahead to September 15th, the day that residents of Delaware cast their ballots in a primary challenge for Senator Chris Coons by political newcomer Jess Scarane. Their new music video, the title track from their recently released EP Delaware Is Burning, minces no words about 2DCAT’s animosity towards the junior senator from “The First State”. The band’s trademark style of presenting 80s-era sci-fi dystopia in a small CRT-shaped vintage television fits their aesthetic perfectly. Donate to Scarane’s senate campaign and get the new EP for free!
Don’t Stay Home This Week 3/02
Monday 3/02:
See our fave snackcore band BRNDA at Songbyrd’s Vinyl Lounge tonight, sandwiched between Ohio fuzzy rock band Vacation and Posmic, a new Baltimore band featuring members of Post Pink, Wildhoney and Saturday Night.
Tuesday 3/03:
The Pie Shop on Tuesday night is the place to catch dreamy solo project Space Phase and indie pop band swerves from Fredrick MD support Ohio’s Mark Twang.
Wednesday 3/04:
We honestly don’t know this NYC band called A Dear A Horse, but we do know top-notch DC rock bands Caustic Casanova and Venray. Go see this Wednesday night show at Songbyrd’s Vinyl Lounge & tell ’em Hometown Sounds sent ya.
Thursday 3/05:
Get your fill of acoustic folk vibes (and of course delicious BBQ) at Hill Country on Thursday evening with Griefcat, Gramophonic and Bellweather Bayou. Yum.
Don’t Stay Home This Weekend 2/28
Friday 2/28:
We saw rapper Ardamus post up at the Time Is Fire show last night, and he let us know about his album release show tonight at 7DrumCity’s The Pocket space. Astro Blocks features Height Keech crafting beats for the versatile rapper, and the show includes Austin’s Ratarue, Coolzey from Iowa, and Cabal Corps, Ardamus’s new group featuring Prowess the Testament, RNL and Edword Asis. Now you know all that too, so don’t miss out.
Saturday 2/29:
BYT editor and talk show host Brandon Wetherbee hosts a marathon 12 hour installment of his always entertaining live show/podcast You, Me, Them Everybody at Wonderland Ballroom in celebration of its 12th (!!) anniversary. In addition to all the funny folk in DC, the epic lineup includes music from Mister Goblin, Saffron, Chill Parents and more.
Sunday 3/01:
We are strongly in favor of weekend matinee shows! Sunday afternoon the Pie Shop hosts a delightful lineup of DC indie rock with Rök, Modern Trap, We Capillaries, and Pompeii Graffiti.
Podcast for February 28th, 2020
Tony asks a deep question of Philip Glass, and Paul reveals a superpower.
Tracklisting:
chicx guapx – whoops [chicx guapx]
A. Mazz – Moonlight, Moonlight [All Night Grad Party]
Tosser – Bent Out [Total Restraint]
Sweet Something – No Surprises Here [single]
2DCAT – The One [Delaware Is Burning]
Coriky – Clean Kill [Coriky]
Subscribe to the Hometown Sounds podcast in Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, Google Play, SoundCloud, or your favorite podcast app! (and tell a friend too!)
chicx guapx – whoops
We think you are really going to dig this fun, snappy indie pop song “whoops” by chicx guapx. The band is new, having played their first show in mid 2019, but their self-titled EP co-produced by Tommy Sherrod is immediately captivating. And this music video featuring band members wearing convincing pug masks really seals the deal. The EP sells for a whopping $420.69 on Bandcamp, so maybe just stream this one for a while.
Don’t Stay Home This Week 2/24
Monday 2/24:
This Monday evening Arlington’s Galaxy Hut hosts dark Americana songstress Annie Stokes and Little Lawnmowers, the mellow folk solo moniker of College Park’s Jonathan Hawkins.
Also Monday 2/24:
Pour one out for another DC band, as alt-rock group Skydiver loses their frontman Justin Price to Los Angeles. Head to Vienna’s Jammin’ Java on Monday night for their farewell show with Milo in the Doldrums, Bluewreck and Modern Trap.
Wednesday 2/26:
Rapper Uptown XO, alum of influential hip-hop group Diamond District, celebrates the release of his new album Culture Over Corporate Wednesday evening with a live show backed by The Experience Band at the 1360 Warehouse, with opening sets from Pinky KillaCorn, Priest Da Nomad and Snypa B.
Thursday 2/27:
Ooh, another album release show! Mystic punk band Time Is Fire’s debut full length album In Pieces is astounding. Thursday night they headline DC9 along with performance arist/poet Bahloul and Baltimore’s Quattracenta.
Don’t Stay Home This Weekend 2/21
Friday 2/21:
Sometimes four band bills are too much, but tonight’s indie rock & dream pop lineup at the Pie Shop feels just right. See Stray Fossa from Charlottesville, The Colonies, Child Ivory and Makeup Girl starting at 8 PM, with a side of pie.
Saturday 2/22:
Only one band plays Saturday night’s benefit for Thrive DC at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, presented by Positive Force. One’s all you need when it’s Coriky, the new band comprised of Joe Lally, Amy Farina and Ian MacKaye. There’s no advance tickets and free admission, so get there early and give generously to an important cause.
Sunday 2/23:
Wrap up this February weekend at Galaxy Hut Sunday night with garage punk band Apollo 66, Charlottesville pop-punk kings Girl Choir, and “electronica madness” NorthWoods, which we couldn’t find anywhere online.
Too Free – No Fun
Today is Thursday, the day before dance trio Too Free’s debut full length album Love in High Demand drops via Sister Polygon Records. And two days before Saturday night’s album release party at U Street Music Hall, embedded inside the REV909 DJ night dedicated to French Touch and Indie Dance from the early 00s. Now’s the time to watch the band’s second music video for the single “No Fun” and revel in the joyous dance moves from singer Awad Bilal. Pretty fun after all.
Time Is Fire – Poor Is Poor
We’re pretty damn excited for the release of In Pieces, the debut full length album by DC band Time Is Fire on Electric Cowbell Records. Fronted by Iranian expat Kamyar Arsani with production from Brendan Canty of The Messthetics and Fugazi, the band whips through post-punk and dance rock styles while delivering necessary doses of truth and inspiration. “Poor Is Poor”, the new single in this music video debuting today, shows the fierce intensity of this powerful quintet in live performance with infectious grooves and Arsani’s signature headgear. Lyrics of bleakness tinged with hope: “We are not privileged to dream on / And we fail and we break and then they all clap / And sometimes, my dear, we just rise”. Grab tix now for Time Is Fire’s album release show Thursday February 27th at DC9 along with Baltimore’s Quattracenta and poet/performance artist Bahloul.
Hometown Sounds 